Max Holloway offers advice on dealing with coronavirus outbreak

Max Holloway isn’t scared of the coronavirus.

Considering the long list of high-level opponents he’s faced during his career, the former UFC featherweight champion has confronted the potential for serious harm ever since he dedicated his life to fighting.

Add to that, he’s a very healthy 28-year-old athlete. Holloway knows he’s not at nearly as much risk for COVID-19 to make him critically ill.

But as he pointed out in a lengthy statement first released on Instagram, Holloway says even though he’s not worried about his own health if he gets exposed to the coronavirus, it’s the people who could be in danger that everybody else should take responsibility for right now.

“I don’t think there’s a doc out there who would say COVID-19 is more dangerous than fighting for a living,” Holloway wrote. “I’m not afraid of it to be honest. It’s like the flu but 10x more deadly. So what? I put myself in more danger every day. So for anybody else who feels that way I agree.

“But I also learned it’s not about me. I can carry it. I can have no symptoms like [NBA player] Donovan Mitchell. Then I can give it to my grandma and maybe she doesn’t beat it. Then what? All my UFC title belts ain’t gonna make me tough enough to deal with that responsibility.”

Holloway continued by pointing out how the healthcare system in his own home state of Hawaii could easily be overwhelmed by this pandemic if people aren’t careful in the immediate future.

The way he sees it, Holloway feels like every person should be considering themselves as much as their loved ones or neighbors or even strangers, who just aren’t capable of fighting back against the deadly virus.

“Hawaii doesn’t have that many hospital beds,” Holloway explained. “If just a few hundred elderly need to be in ICU for treatment then what? What happens then when Sista Moki gets in a car accident and the ICU is already full? I don’t know. Nobody does and we don’t want to find out.

“This isn’t about most of us who could get it and beat it. It’s about the people who won’t beat it so we gotta make sure we do our part to protect them. Take the social distancing seriously. Pretend you already have it. Distance yourself to protect others AND yourself.

“I know when the govt says “prepare but don’t panic” that basically screams panic. I get it. But none of us need 48 rolls of toilet paper... So if you know someone who may need supplies, we need to help them and share. But also remember we could already have it and not know, so be VERY careful.”

For now, Holloway acknowledges that everyday life might change for the majority of people — even those who encounter him on a daily basis — but given enough time and effort, things will eventually get back to normal.

“If you see me in the store, smile, point to the ground if you one banga, but we don’t need to take photos,” Holloway said. “Most people who go to the store in normal times probably only interact with one or two strangers. When I go anywhere I have hundreds of interactions, a lot of people come up to me. I’m a magnet for viruses. It’s not good for your loved ones health for you to interact with me now.

“I promise when this is all over my team will do meet and greets so everyone who wants a photo or autograph can get one, so don’t worry you will not be missing your chance. This isn’t practice. This is a fight. You guys know me. I love to take fights into deep waters. This isn’t one we want to take into deep waters. The quicker we can slow the spread the quicker we get back to normal.”