It was a big moment for Conor McGregor and the UFC. There's been a distinct lack of mainstream appeal for quite some time so when a fighter is on a primetime US chat show, it's inevitably a big deal. McGregor's performance on Conan has been given the big thumbs up from UFC fans and non-fans alike, something which, rightly or wrongly, is almost as important as his performance in the Octagon.
While there was quite a bit to pick through, a lot of the headlines have revolved around something that has (needlessly) been said before. Comparing MMA and boxing is a largely futile exercise but McGregor does share some traits of Floyd Mayweather, so it's perhaps inevitable that when it's comes to mainstream appearances, comparisons are drawn.
Given his increasingly impeccable media handling, McGregor addressed the similarities perfectly.
If you're asking would I like to fight Floyd, who would not like to dance around the ring for $180 million.
I know he would not want to step into my world, the world of pure unarmed combat where there is no limitations. But I would most certainly step into his world.
I would certainly box him if the opportunity arose.
The Dubliner went on to say that there's nothing left for Mayweather in the boxing world so the only step up, in terms of interest, would be engage in a cross-code bout with McGregor. We can't see it happening but it's still interesting to think about.
See the full interview here.
