Quote: Conor McGregor Is Like The Irish Muhammad Ali
UFC featherweight contender Conor McGregor has had an undeniable impact on the promotion since joining the ranks in mid-2013. His charisma and brash trash talk is just what the UFC needed when the turn of 2014 saw many of their major names sidelined. His ability inside the octagon has seen “The Notorious” streak to 4-0 with three TKO finishes.
No-one has been promoted this heavily after such a short time with the UFC, and the atmosphere at UFC Fight Night 46 in Dublin was unlike any other. It would even seem that the UFC promo production team has forgotten that Dennis Siver is actually going to be in Boston this weekend too. As McGregor plans to take on fellow striker and European Siver at UFC Fight Night 59 this Sunday (January 18th, 2015), it’s no surprise that UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta is dropping Muhammad Ali comparisons to MMAJunkie.com:
“I hate even saying this, but with his gift of gab and his athletic ability and fighting ability, it’s almost like the Irish Muhammad Ali in a way,” Fertitta says. “To compare anybody to Ali is kind of stupid because of all the other great things that were associated with him from a social movement and everything else. But Conor has just got that sparkle, that thing to him.
“Wherever he goes – whether we put him on TV, whether he’s doing an interview, whether he’s around a group of people – he just is the center of attention. He’s got that special quality, and for a guy that’s fought in the UFC four times to have the interest of GQ Magazine, Men’s Health, ESPN? He’s got it.”
It’s hard to deny the influence that McGregor’s persona has on fans, his opponents and media, but Muhammad Ali? In case you don’t know, Ali is widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, and was a pioneer against racism and prejudice from his early days in the 1960’s to present day. White continued:
“Mickey Rourke has been blowing me up about this fight,” White says. “Mickey Rourke is coming. Mickey Ward is coming. All the Irish guys are coming out. It’s big.
“When you look at the hubs of Chicago and New York and Philadelphia, the Irish movement with a Conor McGregor can be as big and powerful as the Hispanic movement was with Oscar De La Hoya back in the day. It hasn’t really happened yet, but the Irish population in the U.S. and the U.K. and all over the world is pretty unbelievable.”
The draw that “The Notorious” brings with the Irish factor is huge, and it’s a very smart move by the UFC to bring this fight to Boston. With the 26-year old in line for a title shot with a win, a fight vs Jose Aldo could well be the biggest attraction of 2015.
It’s certainly going to be a big night of action in Boston this weekend, but what if the ‘impossible’ happens? Dennis Siver is a noted kickboxer with knockout power in his hands and feet. Obviously the German is hand picked for the Irish star, there’s no denying that, but he is also a professional competing at the elite level.
Comparing McGregor to Muhammad Ali is one thing, especially considering he hasn’t competed for the UFC title yet, but where will the UFC rank him if Siver pulls a win out of the bag?
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