Khabib Nurmagomedov says his father remains in intensive care despite having overcome Covid-19, as the UFC lightweight champion continues his preparations for a return to the octagon this autumn.
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who also coaches his son, was taken to hospital in April when he was first believed to be suffering from pneumonia. However, he was transferred from Dagestan to the military hospital in Moscow after his condition worsened.
Last month, Russian media reported Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, 57, was in a coma after undergoing a heart bypass.
His son later provided an update on social media, and speaking to Channel One Russia offered some more news again this week.
Khabib Nurmagomedov said: “Now father’s condition is still serious. He is in intensive care. The coronavirus is gone, but the infection has left consequences on the kidneys and on the heart. Now, the virus is gone.
“I come to hospital. He recognises me, but there is no [verbal] communication, because he is under the hospital devices. Every day, I visit him for half an hour, hold his hand, talk, he gestures to understand that he recognises me.”
Although his father’s condition remains serious, Nurmagomedov said he had full faith in the medical staff looking after him.
“I am sure of the doctors, they are one of the best in the world, I have no doubt,” he said. “Thanks so much for everything they do. In this regard, everything is very good. It just takes time, because the consequences are very difficult and the rehabilitation period will be difficult and long.”
Nurmagomedov said he was still in training for his next fight, a unification bout against interim champion Justin Gaethje. The clash is expected to take place in either September or October, with Abu Dhabi emerging as "frontrunner" to host.
The capital strengthened its ties with UFC this month, when it was announced as the location for the inaugural Fight Island, a four-event series taking place on Yas Island next month.
Nurmagomedov’s last competitive outing came in Abu Dhabi, when he defeated then-interim titleholder Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 last September. It took the Dagestan native’s professional record to 28-0.
“I prepare, I train every day because I know that my father would like me to be in good shape,” Nurmagomedov said. “My father would definitely not like that I miss training because of him, of which I am sure.
“Training helps me relieve stress [and] distract from everything. We’ll go back in the autumn and defend our title.”
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The Bio
Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees (oats with chicken) is one of them
Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.
Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results
During her free time: I like to drink coffee - a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks
Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy
Advice to anyone who wants to be an ironman: Go for the goal. If you are consistent, you will get there. With the first one, it might not be what they want but they should start and just do it
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
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Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
