"I dont care if you're black" - Khamzat Chimaev expresses distress at Devin Haney's comment on 'white boys'

Khamzat Chimaev is currently scheduled for the biggest fight of his career when he takes on former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa at UFC 294. The pair will square off in the co-main event of a pay-per-view set to take place in two weeks on October 21, marking the promotion's yearly return to Abu Dhabi.

Ahead of the bout, Khamzat Chimaev spoke about fellow undefeated Muslim fighter Devin Haney. Specifically, he touched on the boxer's past remarks about Vasiliy Lomachenko, which drew controversy as he claimed that he'd never lose to 'a white boy,' drawing criticism for its racist subtext.

While Haney remained unapologetic, Chimaev expressed his disappointment over his fellow Muslim's conduct, which he labeled arrogant. His exact thoughts on the situation were offered in an interview that has been making the rounds on Instagram. When asked if he speaks to Haney, Chimaev said the following:

"Yes, but I unfollowed him after that video. He's too arrogant. He said he'll never lose to a white boy. That's racist. If I say I'll never lose to a black guy, the world will be like 'Khamzat doesn't like black people.' Black guys can fight white guys, what's the difference? The goal is the same."

Devin Haney's statement regarding Vasiliy Lomachenko, who turned out to be his most difficult opponent, was similar to Bernard Hopkins' past remarks about Joe Calzaghe, as he claimed that he would 'never let a white boy beat him.' Unfortunately for him, he was forced to eat his words after losing to Calzaghe.

However, with UFC 294 fast approaching, Khamzat Chimaev has more important worries than Devin Haney, as his upcoming bout with Paulo Costa could very well determine the next middleweight title challenger if Israel Adesanya isn't given an immediate rematch against Sean Strickland.

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The source of Khamzat Chimaev's beef with Paulo Costa

Prior to the cancellation of the bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz at UFC 279, Paulo Costa offered his prediction for the fight. At the time, he was training with Diaz's entourage, so he predicted a Diaz win before describing Chimaev as a 'gourmet Chechen,' implying that he was not as tough as he seems.

More than that, the term also seemed to imply that Chimaev wasn't as real a Chechen as others due to his ties to Sweden. This enraged 'Borz,' who proceeded to confront the Brazilian at the UFC Performance Institute, nearly sparking a brawl between them.