Paul Hughes shares one-word message as he reacts to the untimely passing of Irish boxer John Cooney

The combat sports community is mourning the tragic loss of Irish boxer John Cooney, who passed away after his bout against Welshman Nathan Howells in Belfast last Saturday. The fight, which was Cooney’s first defense of his Celtic super-featherweight title, was stopped in the ninth round.

Following the contest, it was discovered that Cooney suffered an intracranial hemorrhage and underwent surgery to relieve pressure on his brain but tragically did not recover. MMA fighter Paul Hughes was deeply affected by the devastating news and shared a one-word message in reaction. He wrote:

"RIP [heart emoji]"

Check out a screenshot of Paul Hughes' comment below:

Screenshot of Paul Hughes' comment on John Cooney's sudden demise [Image courtesy :@ bbcsportni]

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Usman Nurmagomedov admits illness affected his performance against Paul Hughes

Paul Hughes may have come up short in his PFL debut, but his performance against Usman Nurmagomedov at the Champions Series 1 event in Dubai earned him widespread respect. The Irishman pushed the reigning Bellator lightweight champion to the limit, with many believing he had done enough to win.

However, Nurmagomedov ultimately retained his title with a contentious majority decision, leaving fans and analysts debating the outcome. In the aftermath, Nurmagomedov initially dismissed the idea of a rematch, stating he had simply underestimated Hughes.

However, the Dagestani fighter has now revealed that he was battling illness in the two weeks leading up to the fight, which he believes affected his performance. Despite his earlier reluctance, Nurmagomedov has softened his stance on a rematch, stating Hughes would need one more win before earning another shot at the title. In an interview with MMA Junkie, the unbeaten lightweight said:

"50% of me was in the cage that night. But if I was 100% I know I can finish this guy... When I came to Dubai, I was sick two weeks before the fight [with strep throat]... [My] temperature went up and down, and I was cutting weight and I had this strep throat. A lot of things that didn't let me get ready for this fight."

Check out Usman Nurmagomedov's comments below: (3:12)