Donegal UFC star Joseph Duffy has admitted that his next fight with the UFC could be his last, as negotiations over a new contract with the promotion continue to stall.
Duffy is worried about his financially situation, and the gap between those at the lower rung of UFC to those at the top is widening by the minute, and Duffy is ready to become a free agent.
The Burtonport man has enjoyed a brilliant start to his UFC career with three first-round TKO’s, with the only blip being a points loss to Dustin Poirier.
The talented MMA star also defeated UFC kingpin Conor McGregor in 2010, and he feels he deserves a better contract that would provide him with a more secure future with the UFC promotion.
Duffy has considered starting his own construction company in Montreal, where he is based, in order to ease the financial worries.
Duffy told the MMA Hour, “You look at other pro sports, we’re not making anywhere near that. If you don’t take a stand here, you won’t get what you’re worth. Without a doubt you got to keep an eye on the landscape.
“I think most fighters are thinking we should be getting paid more, we’re dealing with injuries, concussions. One shot and it could all be over. I need to be in a position where I am financially stable.”
“You’ve got to play the hand that’s dealt. Al Iaquinta was on last week, our situations are very similar. A lot of fighters are starting to talk about it. We do this because we love it. But we put our body on the line. My dad’s involved in construction, it’s something I’ve actually thought about.
“I’m never gonna walk away from training. Fighting? I don’t know. It’s a difficult decision. I feel like maybe if I was a bit more secure maybe I wouldn’t have to worry about financials so much, I could just do it for the joy of it.
“At the minute, it’s pretty much just waiting for a contract extension. One more fight, then test free agency and go from there.
“I’m more than confident what I’m looking for is what I’ll get.”
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