Conor McGregor return plan unearthed as Anthony Joshua hails Notorious
CONOR MCGREGOR - Express Sport brings you the latest news on the former UFC lightweight champion.
Conor McGregor, former UFC lightweight champion
Conor McGregor UFC return statement
Conor McGregor was on course to make his long-awaited return to the Octagon later this year prior to his rampage at the UFC 223 media day, according to his manager Audie Attar.
"Conor’s been training from the beginning of the year. He’s made that known publicly,” Attar said during an appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast.
“All these other rumours and people saying ‘oh he never fights again or will he ever fight again.’
“Dude’s an ultra-competitor and he’s not done writing his own story.
“When is that? I don’t know. What I can tell you is things are heating up and as you see by his own social media, he’s staying ready.”
There is something in him that meant he refused to be beaten
Anthony Joshua hails ‘The Notorious’
World heavyweight champion boxer Anthony Joshua has heaped praise on McGregor, hailing the Irishman for his rags-to-riches story.
“Let’s not forget where he has come from,” Joshua told the independent.ie when quizzed about the UFC's poster boy.
"We are looking at what he has achieved at the peak of his career and he has done so well to navigate himself from ground zero to the top of a combat sport.
"It’s an amazing story. He has some sort of intelligence, determination and hunger.
"There is something in him that meant he refused to be beaten. He seems to be the kind of guy who doesn’t take no for an answer and keeps on pushing and you have to respect someone for that.
"He has done really well for himself and his family and that is all you want to do in life."
Conor McGregor goes on wild rampage during UFC media day
Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov predicted
Former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez reckons McGregor doesn’t have the heart to deal with Khabib Nurmagomedov on the ground.
“I feel like there will be takedowns, and Conor will not get up,” Alvarez told ES News when discussing a potential match-up between McGregor and Nurmagomedov.
Eddie Alvarez doesn't foresee McGregor being able to deal with Khabib Nurmagomedov on the ground
"I don’t know if he has the spirit to stay in the fight with a ground fight, where Khabib is controlling 15 to 20 minutes of a 25-minute bout. I’d have to give the edge to Khabib.
“I don’t feel like he has a strong spirit for fighting on the ground. But when it goes to the ground, their spirit weakens.
“I don’t think Conor has a strong enough spirit to withstand Khabib’s ground attack over and over and over."