Conor McGregor is many things: Entrepreneur, fighter, champion inside the Octagon, and worthy ‘dancing partner’ for boxing legend, Floyd Mayweather.
But of his many accolades, people are quickest to critique his other-worldly unique showmanship, and question what – if anything – is genuine, or whether it’s all simply a money-making PR stunt.
After all, we’ve heard a lot of big talk from both parties throughout this lengthy pissing contest:
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However, Conor’s post-fight interview and press conference were toned down, reasonable, and while the Irishman wasn’t too shy to showcase that trademark confidence, he was respectful and honest in his verdict.
Luckily, UFC Presidential puppet-master, Dana White, was quick to step in and fill in the blanks that Conor hadn’t actually left.
Speaking to Megan Olivi of FOX Sports, White said:
He’s not [proud of his performance]. He’s very upset with himself. He feels that that fight was there for the taking. He thinks that the fight was stopped early. I was good with the stoppage. He’s not a professional boxer.
He’s stepped in there to fight arguably the greatest boxer of all time and he looked damn good doing it. I was okay with 10 rounds.
Conor had admitted earlier that evening he would ‘have liked to hit the floor‘ and believed the ref ‘should have let me keep going’.
But McGregor’s overwhelming message was one of pride and positivity, saying:
I had a bit of fun over on this side. Hopefully I entertained the fans on this.
McGregor also paid his respects to Mayweather’s composure during the bout, saying:
I thought I took the early rounds pretty handy, he had to change his style and fair play to him, he did. He adjusted, he changed his style, he put his hands up more. He’s composed. He’s not that fast, he’s not that powerful, but boy is he composed in there. So he was making me throw and he was patient with his shots.
I thought it was close, though. And I thought it was a little early of a stoppage. I get like that when I’m tired. I get a little wobbly and flowy. But get me into the corner and I’d have recovered and come back.
It strikes me that McGregor can be proud of his achievement, and look to what will continue to be a ground-breaking career… once he’s let down his hair in Las Vegas and returned home from his fucking huge yacht retreat in Ibiza.
Looks like he’s anything but upset, to be honest.
Enjoy, Mac.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.