Conor McGregor has won a lot of praise for his honest post-fight comments

He gave it everything

Patrick McCarry

Conor McGregor has won a lot of praise for his honest post-fight comments

“What can I say, f**k it, I had a bit of fun over on this side.”

If ever a sentence summed up Conor McGregor’s take on his multi, multi million dollar clash with Floyd Mayweather Jr., that was it.

McGregor grew up watching, studying and respecting Mayweather the fighter and it was a mix of his UFC domination and verbal abilities that walked him into a bombastic clash with ‘Money’ in Las Vegas.

Mayweather saw off the best McGregor could throw at him, in the early rounds, before picking the Dubliner apart and finishing him in the 10th round, by TKO.

McGregor was stopped on his feet and as much as he wanted the fight to continue, he had no complaints in a frank, fair post-fight interview. Asked for his take on the fight by Showtime’s Jim Gray, McGregor commented:

“I don’t know, I thought I took the early rounds pretty handy. Floyd had to change his style and, fair play to him, he did; he adjusted. He’s composed. He’s not that fast, he’s not that powerful but boy is he composed…

“I’ve got to give nothing but respect to him. Great champion, great career he’s had.”

Credit: UFC Europe

Asked if he would be interested in boxing again, McGregor would not be drawn. He said:

“We’ll see what happens, I don’t know. I have two [UFC] titles to defend, I don’t know. I’m having a buzz floating around, anyone wants a knock, give me a shout.”

UFC president Dana White is not certain on who McGregor will fight next, with Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee set to do battle for the interim title of a division ‘The Notorious’ is champion of.

“The game changes every time,” McGregor said. “We grow and we see what’s what. But whatever, I thought it was close, I thought I had him in the early rounds, I thought I was getting in the middle towards the end. Where was the final two rounds? Let me wobble back to my corner. Let me try and recompose myself. You know what I mean? You’ve got to put me out.”

His final comments harked back to that love of Ireland that drives McGregor on. He said:

“I’m brand new, I’m clear-spoken, there’s not a bother on me so I don’t know what way to feel to be honest. I’m just happy, I’m draped in the flag, happy I was able to bring my team along, the country with me and just getting to perform for a different crowd.

“No one’s taking these type of risks, so f**k it, lay into me all yiz want, I’ll take it on the chin.”

On true, dedicated begrudgers could seriously lay into McGregor after his 10 rounds of perspiration and heart.