Max Holloway picked up his 20th win in UFC's featherweight division with a knockout victory against the retiring 'Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung in Singapore; "I think he knew what the job was - it was kill or be killed. I was just lucky that I was on top on the other side of it"
Sunday 27 August 2023 10:25, UK
Max Holloway picked up his 20th win in UFC's featherweight division, giving Chan Sung Jung - 'The Korean Zombie' - the exit he deserved in Singapore on Saturday evening.
The 31-year-old knocked out Jung at the 23-second mark of the third round, rounding off a furious flurry of punches with an unanswerable hook.
But, as officials stepped in, Holloway had already backed away from his opponent; he knew the bigger story here was a veteran of the sport hanging up his gloves after a career that spanned over a decade.
Jung admitted as much in a post-fight interview: "I'm going to step away from fighting.
"I've always tried to become a champion since I started in the sport. I'm not here to be ranked No 3, 4 or 5.
"I tried my best to train for Holloway, but I failed. I don't think I have the opportunity [to be champion anymore], so I'm going to stop fighting."
Holloway had nothing but praise for how 'The Korean Zombie' came after him in what was ultimately the final fight of Jung's career.
"I think he knew exactly what had to be done," Holloway said.
"I think he knew what the job was. It was kill or be killed. I was lucky to be on top of the other side of it.
"We both threw our right hands. Mine just landed a tad quicker. A half-second slower, who knows, he lands first what would have happened? I don't know if I would have eaten it or a lot of stuff could have gone wrong.
"I think I hurt him in the second round good. Between the second and the third, he was sitting there and saying, 'I'm not going to coast through a five-round [fight]; I'm going to die on my sword', and that's what he did.
"That's why people love 'The Korean Zombie'. He's a legend in every way of the sport."
The former featherweight champion also offered insight into how he cultivated his victory against a heavyweight of the division.
"I needed a finish," Holloway explained at the post-fight press conference.
"I was due for one. What better place to do it [than where I started] my 12-fight win streak before I got the title, here in Singapore?
"This was my first-ever walk-off knockout. It was amazing. Something was in the air.
"The people of Lahaina, Maui, gave me their power in my right hand. They call me 'Pillow Holloway'. I was like, 'OK, whatever'. I guess we had stones in the pillowcase today. It was good."
