Mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor has hinted at a possible future involvement in the sport of bare-knuckle boxing.
‘The Notorious‘ recently took part in a Matchroom interview with Ariel Helwani ahead of the lead-up to Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron’s boxing match, in which the duo discussed a number of varying topics.
McGregor’s appearance at BKFC’s event between Mike Perry and Luke Rockhold last month caused ripples amongst the combat sports community, especially after Perry had faced off against the Irishman in the ring following his victory, before calling him out in the post-fight press conference.
Perry told TMZ: “Conor, ‘Notorious’ Conor McGregor vs. ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry is the only fight to make.
“It is the No. 1 fight in the world. All the fans want it, we’ll throw hands, southpaw vs. orthodox, big power punchers. I’m the better boxer.
Mike Perry calls out Conor McGregor for a face-off and @TheNotoriousMMA accepts. He enters the ring with the BKFC title over his shoulder.#BKFC41 | LIVE on #FITE pic.twitter.com/DoCw7OZTZP
— FITE (@FiteTV) April 30, 2023
“And that’s no disrespect on you, mate. You’ve had an amazing career. You said you’re never retiring. I’m getting a little older myself. I think we’ve come a long way.
“I’ve definitely come a long way. You’ve been at the top. It’s my turn to take over.
“So you could just hand me the keys, or you could let me fight you for them.”
Esteemed journalist Helwani remained curious about this series of events, asking his interviewee whether a possible matchup between himself and ‘Platinum‘ in BKFC could be a possibility.
McGregor seemed enthusiastic about a future bout, replying:
“Yes I would do it, and I’d be happy to do it.
“Boxing can be a snoozefest, MMA can be a snoozefest, there’s no chance of a boring fight in bare-knuckle because even if it is just a back-and-forth jab match, even a jab splits the skin.
“So from the split skin causes panic in the ring, and the crowd rises, and there’s zero chance of a boring fight, so it’s interesting.
“I’d be up for it, for sure. Why not?”
The 34-year-old recently wrapped up filming for The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler, in which he coached a team of prospective UFC fighters against opposing athletes under the wing of lightweight contender Michael Chandler.
The two coaches are set to fight themselves before the end of 2023, marking the end of McGregor’s two-year octagon hiatus stemming back to his second loss to American lightweight Dustin Poirier.
Many MMA enthusiasts are struggling to imagine a world where McGregor completes two professional bouts within the next seven months, meaning a potential BKFC matchup with Perry this year seems tenuous at best.
UFC President Dana White may also be frustrated at recent revelations; the 53-year-old will likely be hesitant at the idea of his promotion’s largest selling-point fighting within another a promotion against such a dangerous opponent.
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