Joseph Duffy is on the fast track to superstar status.
After two first round finishes his two fights in the UFC, Irish Joe has been given the nod to take on ranked lightweight Dustin Poirier.
We all know the basic bio of the Donegal fighter. He “was the last man to beat Conor McGregor,” and enjoyed a fruitful pro-boxing career.
After his fight announcement, we got the chance to sit down with Duffy and asked him ten quickfire questions to get to know the 155 lb sensation a little bit better.
1. What’s the hardest you’ve ever been hit?
I would say DeGale, James DeGale. It’s the amount of shots you take and the snap that’s on them.
2. Who’s the toughest fighter you’ve ever faced?
Grittiest? I would have to say Francis Heagney. He was very gritty, very strong and obviously an Irishman as well so he had that stubbornness about him.
3. Who is your favourite fighter of all time?
I’d have to go with Tyson. I loved Tyson. I loved his persona. I loved his style. He was a lot smaller than a lot of the other heavyweights. He was someone I enjoyed watching when I was growing up.
4. What’s the most entertaining fight you’ve ever watched?
It’s got to be Wanderlei and Brian Stann. I’ve always been a massive Wanderlei fan. I remember growing up watching the PRIDEs and I followed him into the UFC and that fight was just crazy.
5. What’s your cheat meal of choice?
Red velvet.
6. Quick KO, slick submission or hard-earned decision?
That’s a tricky one. There’s something special about a KO.
7. What’s the best MMA nickname you’ve come across?
He’s probably gonna kill me for this but Tom Breese, when he went to Brazil, he had a meltdown. I don’t know if he was cutting weight or what but he changed his name to “The Octopus.” He must have thought thought ‘what the hell was I thinking?’ so that was pretty funny just because I know it’s not something he wants to keep.
8. If you weren’t a fighter, what job would you like to have?
I would like to think I’d be a pro rugby player.
9. Who’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now?
I’m gonna go with Joanna Jedrzejczyk. She’s looking devastating. Obviously Ronda is blasting through her division and it’s going to take a lot to do what she’s done. But Joanna’s style as well is just a style that I enjoy watching so I’m just going to lean towards her.
10. What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to young, up-and-coming fighters?
Work hard! I think that’s the main thing and if you want something enough and you keep working hard then you’ll get there. Keep pursuing it and enjoy it because if you don’t enjoy it, what’s the point?
