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McGregor back to boxing to face Luke Keeler?

Conor McGregor has been in the news in the past week for the wrong reasons. Will we be likely to see him back in action any time soon?

It seems we might but not in the cage but back in the boxing ring.

McGregor has only fought once in the UFC since he fought and lost a mega money boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather. McGregor returned to MMA last year when he was dominantly beaten by lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

After the video emerged last week that appeared to show McGregor throw a punch or throw a drink over an older man in a pub, Irish boxer Luke Keeler took to social media to have his say on the Crumlin man and suggested McGregor had done something similar to a friend of his.

According to Keeler, also a Dublin native, McGregor wasnt happy with what he had to say and has agreed to a fight in the squared circle.

Keeler told Irish-Boxing.com that “I don’t want to get into it too much, but I know he wasn’t happy about the call out. He is not happy.”

“The fight community in Ireland is small enough and Crumlin isn’t too far from Ballyfermot- and I heard he wasn’t happy with the timing of,” he said before going into more detail when pushed.

“Okay, he rang me and we had a few words. I told him the fight was there to be made and he was all for it. He agreed to fight over the phone.”

Most would think the agreement to the fight would have been bravado during what may have been a heated conversation. Not necessarily so according to Keeler.

“I agree it could be just all talk. Whether he has the balls or not to get in the ring again, never mind with me, we will have to see. He could have been just trying to front up or speaking in anger, but it got to the stage where I felt comfortable enough passing onto my management team.

“Like I said, I don’t want to get into it that much yet, but I have handed it over to MTK and they’re talking to Conor.”

“I don’t mind calling out a bully – and that is what is he. As I said I’d be happy to put him in his place. I just think that behavior isn’t right, especially from someone who knows how to use his fists and knows the damage that can be done. Plus like I said in the tweet it wasn’t the first time he has done something like that.”

Most would suspect McGregor to return in a bigger match up than against Keeler, who in all fairness won’t be known that much outside of Ireland. However, Keeler has been on a good run recently. He is on an eight fight unbeaten run, during which he has won the Irish, Celtic and European titles. He las fought a couple of weeks back on the undercard of Michael Conlan’s return to Belfast and recorded a good win over Luis Arias.

Is Keeler confident the fight will happen?

“Well, he called me and he certainly wanted to fight me then. I don’t know how much he meant that and really wants to fight. If it’s money he needs, well I am sure any fight McGregor is in would generate a few bob for him. I think there would be an interest in it. A battle of Dublin and a real fight. I wouldn’t look to carry him to make a show of it like Mayweather.

“With pride on the line I’d look to take him out. Fans would get to see what he is like in a real fight not an exhibition. Plus let him beat a ranked fighter before he starts looking for all these big name stars. If he wants a big name let him earn it like the rest of us have to,” he said.

“I’d smash him up. He fought a 40-year-old welterweight who carried him for a few rounds then gassed because doesn’t live the life anymore as everyone knows. He will never have balls to step in ring again but I’ll be there if he does. The Irish public have turned their backs on him and would generate huge money people will pay to see him smashed up.”

Photo credit Luke Keeler Facebook page.

 

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