It’s hard not to watch the McGregor show that has engulfed the world of MMA, and not feel slightly jealous that he isn’t gracing the squared circle instead of the octagon. He truly is a remarkable athlete, and human being.
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The 27 year old (from Dublin) Conor McGregor needed only 13 seconds to dispatch of Jose Aldo, a fighter many believed to be too strong and too skillful for the Irishman at UFC 194.
But that notion was put to bed faster than a misbehaved toddler, 13 seconds and the featherweight title was in Irish hands.
In beating the long-time featherweight champion (in fact Jose Aldo is the only featherweight champion the UFC has ever had) with a perfectly timed left hand, with his first connecting punch after only 13 seconds – McGregor made history.
It was the fastest ever knockout in a UFC title fight, and he became the 1st Irishman to hold a UFC title, but you get the feeling he won’t stop there and it’s just the start, with many more records and historic milestones to come.
What makes Conor McGregor so different in the world of MMA and unlike any other fighter in that discipline, is the fact that his boxing skill set wouldn’t look out of place in the professional ranks of boxing.
The fires of his boxing ability were started at the Crumlin Boxing Club (Dublin) at the age of 12 under the guidance of trainer Phil Sutcliffe, and continued to burn brightly throughout his younger years.
15 years later, his boxing ability is at the forefront of his fighting arsenal.
Sadly the UFC’s gain is boxing’s loss, with excellent boxing skills, a left hand from hell, box-office appeal, charisma to burn and an army of adoring fans, boxing promoters and fans can only look on and wondered what if he chose the squared circle of boxing and not the octagon of MMA?
But who knows, maybe boxing will uncover a Conor McGregor type superstar in the coming years? Many are calling him the Irish Muhammad Ali, who is quickly becoming a sporting icon of his generation.
(Image credit: Irishcentral.com)
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