Conor McGregor has so far done a great job keeping himself relevant, both within MMA and otherwise. After being issued a boxing license last week, he has once again drummed up talk about a possible fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“I would not go in there just to show up. I’d go in there to knock him out,” McGregor said during a Q&A Session in Belfast on Friday. “And that’s it. He can be hit. He’s been hit before. Age waits for no man, also. So I know they know that.”
While McGregor’s words earned him praises, it has likewise drawn the ire of others, particularly boxers in active competition. Recently, former WBO interim lightweight champion Michael “The Great” Katsidis has joined the list of those who were not too pleased with the statements made by “The Notorious” regarding Mayweather.
“You have just disrespected the entire sport to challenge the pound-for-pound best,” Katsidis said via the Gold Coast Bulletin. “I respected Conor for being a superior athlete in his field. After the way he has disrespected the boxers in my sport, I have absolutely no respect for the man.
“McGregor has stepped from the octagon and wants to step it up a lot of notches and come into the ring. Well that’s my territory, my weight and my belts and titles he would be after.”
Mayweather, from his end, no longer seems to be interested in making the fight happen. Katisidis, however, is headed towards the opposite direction.
“His manager has said have the right people call. I am the right person and I’m calling. McGregor is spruiking two belts in two weight divisions, he stood in the ring demanding his new belt be brought to him – I want to see if he can come take one of mine.”
“If McGregor ‘The Notorious’ wants to come into my sport, let’s see how he goes coming up against ‘The Great.’”