BJ (center) is comforted by Parillo (right) (PHOTO: Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)
After yet another technical knockout defeat, the former welterweight and lightweight champion B.J. Penn can retire from MMA for good. And one of the biggest supports for him to do so comes from his own corner. His boxing coach, Jason Parillo, commented that he would like to see his pupil hang up his gloves, after seeing him get knocked out by Yair Rodriguez at UFC Phoenix last Sunday (15).
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“We are sad. Obviously, we always have high hopes for BJ. I support him retiring. He did enough for the sport. He was champion in two different categories. Not many guys did that. He has already done everything he had to do within MMA”, commented Parillo in a video published by the UFC itself.
However, the technician, who also works with Chris Cyborg e Michael Bisping, thinks it will be difficult to convince him to retire. For Parillo, Penn's friends and family will be fundamental to whether or not his career continues.
“It will be difficult for him not to want to fight again. But it will be the people around you who will help you decide. The point is that BJ doesn't do warm-up fights. He is only challenged by monsters, by top 10 guys,” he pointed out.
B.J. Penn was defeated for the fourth time in his last four fights against Yair Rodriguez. Against the Mexican, it was the first time in his career that the former champion was knocked down, right before the final sequence of punches that knocked him out.
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