JAKE PAUL reckons Conor McGregor’s recent defeat to Dustin Poirier was ‘the worst’ in UFC history.
The former two-division champion suffered a brutal second-round KO loss to his old featherweight rival at UFC 257 in January.
The manner of McGregor’s defeat to the former interim lightweight champion raised questions over his status as an elite 155-pounder.
YouTube star Paul believes the loss has done huge damage to The Notorious’ legacy, telling ES News: “That’s the worst loss I think I’ve ever seen in the UFC.
“From like a status perspective, like, it almost ruined his legacy.”
A blockbuster trilogy fight between the pair, both 32, is in the works for the summer.
And like many others, Paul believes the fight is a must-win for Ireland’s first UFC champion.
He continued: “Obviously, they’re probably going to have a trilogy fight.
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“But if he loses that trilogy fight in the same way, Conor McGregor’s legacy is over.”
Paul, 24, aggressively pursued a boxing match with McGregor before the Irishman’s spectacular defeat to Poirier, going to great lengths to troll him on social media.
But the former Disney star reckons a fight with the UFC’s poster boy is no longer as lucrative as it once was.
He said: “And at this point, the Jake Paul – Conor McGregor fight isn’t even as exciting because he can’t even win at his own sport.
“Obviously it’d still be a huge fight and obviously I’d still wanna do it, but he needs to win at his own sport first, honestly.”
Despite his X-rated attempts to goad McGregor into fighting him, Paul – who is gearing up for a boxing match with former UFC star Ben Askren – has the utmost respect for the pride of Dublin.
He said: “I talk shit to Conor, but at the end of the day, I respect him.
“I respect what he’s built, I respect who he is. And he changed the game for every fighter in the future.”
The third instalment of McGregor vs Poirier is expected to take place in July or August.
Paul’s clash with Askren, meanwhile, will take place on April 17 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The younger Paul brother is brimming with confidence ahead of his showdown with the former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight king, recently saying: “I don’t even think he’ll hit me.
“I haven’t been hit one time in the face in my past two fights.
“So I haven’t even been punched as pro boxer one time. Nate Robinson landed one body shot in a clinch.
“I don’t think Ben Askren will even hit me. That’s my prediction.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
