Calling Conor McGregor a colorful personality would be understating it a little and the boisterous Irishman is back in the news once again as he slams both Iron Mike Tyson and Jake Paul ahead of their July 20 fight, aired by Netflix.
The Problem Child and Iron Mike will step into the ring in eight weeks’ time to do battle in a professional fight with altered rules that has been slammed by famous fighters such as Deontay Wilder, Derek Chisora and now McGregor himself, as he distances himself from fighting Paul in the future.
Jake Paul Sparks Outrage by Taunting Mike Tyson with Retro Disney Footage
“For me, it does set a bad precedent in the industry,” McGregor told SiriusXM. “What you’ve got now is – and I would say this to the young athletes coming up, men and women.”
“Don’t aspire to be one of these YouTube fighters. Aspire for world titles. Aspire for [the Olympics]. That is how you etch your name in history, doing these little smash-and-grab fights, you might get a few likes, but there’s nothing substantial to it.
“It’s hollow. It can be profitable, but it’s hollow. I’m noticing a trend in young fighters coming up that are not even interested in competing in the amateur scene or rising up to win a national title. You need the gold on the waist. You need to etch your name on the belt.”
Paul and Tyson will face each other across eight, two-minute rounds with 14oz gloves in order to protect the 58-year-old from serious injury thanks to greater risk of head trauma due to his age.
That’s down from the traditional modern format of 12 three-minute rounds with 10oz gloves, that most recently featured in the heavyweight undisputed bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.
Will McGregor return to boxing?
McGregor, who made his name in the UFC, also has a childhood background in boxing so could he make the switch again, as he did back in 2017 when he decided to fight Floyd Mayweather in a mega crossover event?
As he prepares to face Michael Chandler in his comeback, he admits he could be tempted to fight Manny Pacquiao, but he ensures that he will make sure he has permission from the UFC, which he declares as his true love. That’ll make Dana White happy.
“UFC is my heart and my soul, I love the company dearly,” McGregor told TheMacLife. “I am in contract negotiation stages with them now, it’s all going well.
“We have the height of respect for each other, McGregor Sports and Entertainment and the UFC have done incredible business and there is deep respect and a deep bond. Let’s see what the future holds.”
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