Wait, you thought UFC superstar Conor McGregor could attend a boxing event in New York on St. Patrick’s Day and not cause a scene? How naive of you.
McGregor accompanied his friend and countryman Michael Conlan, a 2012 Olympic bronze medallist and 2015 world champion, who made his professional debut on a Top Rank card in The Theater at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
Conlan stopped Tim Ibarra in the third round but that wasn’t the story of the night. McGregor, who is in the midst of negotiations to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. later this year, stole the show with a ringside rant.
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Ever since this proposed Mayweather-McGregor bout first started gaining traction, the vast majority of pundits from the boxing and MMA worlds wrote the UFC lightweight champion off as having no chance against an all-time great like Mayweather.
So when McGregor had an opportunity to speak directly to media that were situated on press row, specifically veteran ESPN boxing reporter Dan Rafael, he let loose.
“You’re the boxing guy? I’m the boxing guy!” McGregor yelled towards Rafael. “Watch me take over boxing, trust me on that. Floyd doesn’t know, no one in this boxing game knows what’s coming. Trust me on that. When I step in there I’m gonna shut the whole goddamn world. Trust me on that. Look me in the eyes, 28 years of age, confident as a [expletive], long, rangy, dangerous with every hand. Trust me, I’m gonna stop Floyd. You’re all gonna eat your words. The whole world is gonna eat their words.”
When a reporter asked when a fight with Mayweather is going to happen, McGregor responded by saying, “We’re getting close, don’t worry about it. You’ll hear about it. I’m out of here. I am boxing!”
You can watch the hubbub below. (Viewer discretion is advised because McGregor curses)
Earlier this month, Mayweather said he was “officially” out of retirement for Conor McGregor. The 40-year-old retired in 2015 after beating Andre Berto and improving to 49-0 as a professional, tying Rocky Marciano’s remarkable record.
McGregor, the UFC’s first and only simultaneous two-weight champion, hasn’t fought since knocking out Eddie Alvarez to win the lightweight belt at UFC 205 in November. Although he is known as one of the most talented strikers in MMA history, he doesn’t have any boxing matches on his record.
