Dustin Poirier reflects on Conor McGregor’s brutal punch power: ‘I’ve whooped his a** twice’
Reflecting on his decorated combat sports career, Dustin Poirier maintains three-fight rival, Conor McGregor will likely go down as the opponent to hit him and ding him the hardest in his seasoned career, however, pointed to still holding bragging rights over the ex-UFC champion.
Poirier, the current number four ranked lightweight contender, has been linked with a return to action in recent weeks — ahead of an expected retirement from combat sports later this annum.
And sidelined since last summer, Lafayette striking favorite, Poirier was forced to submit in the fifth round of his UFC 302 undisputed championship charge against Islam Makhachev, succumbing to a D’Arce choke loss.
Sharing a three-fight series with former duel-weight champion, McGregor during their respective Octagon runs, Poirier would avenge an infamous 2014 knockout loss to the Dubliner at the featherweight limit, turning in back-to-back rematch and subsequent rubber match stoppage wins in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Dustin Poirier reflects on Conor McGregor’s punching power
And ahead of what may come as his final Octagon outing later this annum, Poirier reflected on some moments in his historic career during an interview with Front Office Sports — claiming that while he has twice stopped McGregor, the 36-year-old is the hardest puncher he’s ever faced.
“Conor McGregor, he can punch,” Dustin Poirier replied when asked who the hardest puncher he ever faced was. “It was 2014 when I got hit solid, but I’ve whooped his a** twice since then, so.”
Rekindling their rivalry over the course of the weekend, Poirier claimed that while he respected the former two-division champion as a fantastic athlete, if they ever cross paths again, they will likely fight to “the death”.
No, of course not,” Dustin Poirier said when asked if he could ever see himself squashing his beef with Conor McGregor. “We will fight to the death if I see him…I don’t respect him as a man.
“As an athlete and a fighter, he’s done some incredible things,” Dustin Poirier explained. He’s very gifted and is special in that way when it comes to combat, but as a human being? Nah.”
