Conor McGregor’s fiercest rival has come to the defence of ‘The Notorious’

Conor McGregor is in the fight game to make money, not friends.

McGregor simply couldn't care less if his fellow fighters like him or not because, in his eyes, anybody in or around his weight division is a potential opponent and, therefore, a possible payday. Nate Diaz, McGregor's fiercest rival, is of the same mentality but that doesn't mean that mutual respect doesn't exist between the men who both hold a win over one another. Against all expectations, Diaz has leaped to the defence of 'The Notorious' following the boxing community's recent criticism of McGregor's training methods. The likes of David Haye and Terence Crawford mocked the reigning UFC lightweight champion for his trademark shoulder warm-up last week but Diaz is simply not having it. "Boxers are clowns sometimes now," Diaz said, via FanSided. "I’m never taking the MMA fighters over the boxer’s side when it comes to punching and shit, but I’m like, don’t be talking shit. [They say MMA fighters] ‘would get embarrassed, it’s ridiculous’ yeah, but we’re talking real fighting now you one-dimensional boxing fucks. This is real life shit, you’ll get embarrassed." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkBYYY7mYCs Diaz, who handed McGregor his first defeat inside the Octagon last March at UFC 196, does not like the fact that so many boxing experts are suggesting that the Dubliner will be humiliated against Floyd Mayweather when they meet next Saturday night in Las Vegas. "And now all the boxers are criticising Conor like ‘Conor will get embarrassed’, but that’s a real arrogant thing to say," he said. "Wanna know something that’s even more embarrassing? Is if Floyd fought Conor in an MMA match. "It would be more embarrassing than if Conor fought Floyd in a boxing match. [Floyd] would get mounted and laughed at, and slapped around [and Conor] would smile at the crowd and wave." The Stockton fighter has not fought since McGregor avenged his defeat in the pair's rematch at UFC 202 last August and Diaz is also on McGregor's side when it comes to his running social media feud with former sparring partner Paulie Malignaggi, who took umbrage with the posting of edited footage of his session with 'The Notorious' two weeks ago. "Conor should beat that guy’s ass," Diaz said of Malignaggi. "That guy was on the internet talking shit on him the other day. I’m like, ‘What kind of sparring partners you got?’ I’d shove that guy in the gym and beat his ass if I was Conor, like, ‘what you’re going to put me on blast about what? You don’t know shit. What gave you the right to talk shit, criticise if we’re working together when I could beat your ass for real?’ Don’t even speak. That’s my thoughts."