“Yes, it was a good stoppage. My lights were on, but I had no bearings on where anything was coming from. So the effectiveness of me being able to defend myself was very low at that point… It shows you show disorientated I was by the shot – the guy fully dressed was the one who caught my attention. It could have been bad [if the fight continued]. I see the reason for stopping it. At that point, intelligently defending myself, it would have been a scramble to find out where Mark was coming from… By far the hardest punch I’ve ever received in my career. Immediately, I felt like I was under water. The lights were on, but for a good 10 to 15 seconds the room spun… I didn’t have anything to prove to begin with to anybody else. I didn’t start out doing this because I wanted to win awards or titles. I like martial arts, I like training, I like the lifestyle. I want to constantly get better. Why not just keep fighting? Until I get told that I can’t anymore, then I’ll move on.”
-On a new episode of his Phone Booth Fighting podcast, Frank Mir reacts to his loss against Mark Hunt at UFC Fight Night 85, and explains why he’s not thinking about retirement (transcribed by MMAFighting.com).
Penick’s Analysis: Given the nature of the UFC’s heavyweight division, Mir could find himself winning against any number of opponents, so as long as the UFC is willing to book him, he’ll continue to fight. That said, even if Hunt did hit him harder than any other opponent he’s faced, he’s still not taking punches like he used to. That’s not conducive to much more of an extended run in the Octagon. Still, given he’s been around as long as he has, he’ll be given more leeway than others.
[Photo (c) Matt Roberts via USA Today Sports]
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