UFC

TYSON FURY backed Conor McGregor to win his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier ‘in style’ – but warned ‘it’s curtains’ if he loses.McGregor, who initially knocked out Poirier in 2014, suffered a disastrous return to the octagon in January as he was stopped in the second round.
Tyson Fury backed Conor McGregor to win his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier ‘in styleCredit: Rex
Conor McGregor rematches Dustin Poirier in JulyCredit: Instagram @thenotoriousmma
It has set up a blockbuster trilogy decider on July 10 in Las Vegas, with a win putting the Irishman right back in the top of the pile.
But a consecutive loss for the UFC’s biggest star could see him contemplating his career.
WBC champion Fury tipped McGregor to prevail in the must-win rematch – but fears the repercussion of another setback could be detrimental.
He told UFC legend Michael Bisping on BT Sport: “It’s Conor McGregor’s final roll of the dice.
“If he loses this one it’s curtains isn’t it? I think he wins this one and I think he wins it in style, to be fair.”
Fury, 32, likened his struggles outside of the ring to McGregor’s, having seen his boxing career go off the rails in 2015.
A battle with depression and substance abuse saw him vacate the titles in 2016 before taking a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
By 2018, Fury completed a remarkable comeback to the ring after shedding TEN STONE and last year capped off his inspirational turnaround.
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The unbeaten Brit dethroned Deontay Wilder, 35, in their rematch to win the WBC title.
Fury is fully dedicated to his craft having put his demons behind him, but compared his struggles to McGregor’s.
The Notorious – who has lived up to his name in and out of the cage – has admitted to losing concentration in training camp.
That included drinking just days before his bitter defeat to rival Khabib Nurmagomedov, 32, in 2018.
McGregor, 32, has since insisted the lack of discipline is a thing of the past, but Fury knows the dangers of not living the life.
Conor McGregor after defeat to Khabib in 2018Credit: Getty – Contributor
Tyson Fury is the WBC heavyweight championCredit: Reuters
He said: “With Conor, you never know what he’s been doing. You never know what he’s been up to in training camps and all that.
“From what I hear, he lives like a rock star when he’s like a week away from his fight, so you can’t do that.
“When I’m in a training camp I’m 100 per cent dedicated to the fight.
“I don’t do anything, I go to bed early, wake up early, don’t drink anything but water, I’m 100 per cent dedicated to the job in hand.
“If I’m going out getting smashed in the nights before a fight, then I’m asking to lose.”
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HENRY CEJUDO insisted Conor McGregor ‘wouldn’t last a minute’ in the boxing ring with ‘killer’Oscar De La Hoya. McGregor was beaten on his boxing debut by American legend Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
Oscar De La Hoya said Conor McGregor ‘wouldn’t last a minute’ with Oscar De La HoyaCredit: Reuters
Conor McGregor lost his boxing debut to Floyd Mayweather in 2017Credit: USA Today Sports
The Irishman has flirted with a return to the ring before, and even once accepted a call out from De La Hoya, who is set to make his comeback.
McGregor lasted ten rounds against Mayweather, but even at the age of 48, ex-UFC champion Cejudo backed De La Hoya to get the job done in one.
He told EsNews: “Oscar would put him away. He’s a killer, and he’s not a Mayweather.
“He’s not a defensive guy. If he were to fight Conor in boxing, he wouldn’t last a minute, I swear to you. Left hook, jab.”
De La Hoya responded: “That would be interesting.
“After he made half a billion dollars, I think Conor is pretty good. I have always respected him.
“There is always respect amongst fighters Unless you have a beef with somebody.”
De La Hoya blasted Mayweather’s lucrative crossover fight with McGregor four years ago.
Former two-weight UFC champion Henry CejudoCredit: Getty
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But now, he appears eager to get in on the action, as he predicted a second-round knockout against McGregor if they fought.
He said on the State of Combat podcast in May: “Two rounds. Because one thing about me, one thing about me, I went for the kill always.
“And look, Conor McGregor is⁠ – I love him in the Octagon. I respect him. I watch him all the time.
“But the boxing ring is a whole different story. It’s a whole different story.”
McGregor, 32, responded soon after: “I accept your challenge, Oscar de la Hoya.”
The former two-weight UFC champion went on to make his UFC return seven months later, losing to Dustin Poirier, 32, who he had beaten in 2014.
It has set them up for a trilogy decider on July 10 in Las Vegas, while De La Hoya fights for the first time in 13 years in September.
Conor McGregor ahead of his UFC return
Heavyweight legend Mike Tyson with Oscar De La Hoya
He was in talks with UFC legend Georges St-Pierre, but Dana White blocked the fight.
St-Pierre, 39, is under contract with the UFC despite his 2019 retirement and would need their permission to make the boxing switch.
GSP revealed an eight-round exhibition was proposed with some of the proceeds going to charity, before negotiations collapsed.
St-Pierre told MMA Joe: “It would’ve been bigger gloves, two-minute rounds, eight rounds.
“So the terms were different to accommodate, to make it more like a show. It’s less dangerous.
“Part of the profit, part of our purses would have been given to a charity. Unfortunately it did not happen, but it would have been fun.
“It’s a different form of entertainment, and with boxing you can tweak it like this — you can change the gloves — in MMA you can’t really do that.”
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FUTURE UFC Hall-of-Famer Anderson Silva has refused to rule out fighting the Paul brothers – despite being old enough to be the YouTubers’ dad.The MMA legend, 46, is currently gearing up for a return to the boxing ring, which he’ll be welcomed back to this weekend by Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
UFC legend Anderson Silva is gearing up for a return to the boxing worldCredit: Getty
And the future hall-of-famer has refused to close the door on fights with the Paul brothersCredit: Instagram @jakepaul
And the former long-reigning UFC middleweight champion is seemingly open to taking part in money-spinning showdowns with social media stars Logan and Jake Paul after his return to the squared circle.
When a potential fight with the Paul brothers was put to Silva, he told MMASucka: “Wow – We’ll see.
“I’m very excited [about this fight, so] we’ll see.
“I’m preparing my mind and I’m preparing my body for being my best.
“And to make success in this sport and showing my respect for this sport.”
Former pound-for-pound king Silva wanted to box whilst he was still under contract with the UFC, setting his sights on a bout with former four-weight world champion Roy Jones Jr.
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The UFC, however, refused to entertain the prospect of their dominant 185lb king fighting outside of the cage.
Silva told MMA Junkie: “I put (it) on the table many, many years ago that opportunity to show the world.
“I gave the opportunity for the UFC to change everything, but it didn’t happen at the moment and that’s fine.
“I think now everything is new and people want to see the entertainment.”
Silva is relishing his eight-rounder with former WBC middleweight king Chavez Jr but admits he doesn’t know what the future holds for him.
Chavez is uncertain about the futureCredit: Getty

He said: “Everything is possible. Now I’m just trying to challenge myself.
“Maybe I fight on the same card my son is fighting kickboxing. Maybe fight jiu-jitsu – GI or no GI. Maybe muay-Thai.
“I’m very excited to go to Thailand, and train and fight in Thailand.
“I don’t know. Everything is possible.”
Silva’s return to the boxing world was set following his release from the UFC last November.
The legendary Brazilian lost five of his six most recent octagon outings, including his final appearance against Uriah Hall.
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JAKE PAUL insisted his brother Logan ‘did better than Conor McGregor’ against Floyd Mayweather – with punch arguably stats to prove it. Mayweather officially retired as a professional in 2017, stopping ex-UFC champion McGregor in ten rounds.
Logan Paul took Floyd Mayweather the distanceCredit: Getty
Conor McGregor was beaten by Floyd Mayweather in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty
He recently returned for an exhibition spectacle against YouTube star Logan, and to the surprise of many failed to score a knockout win.
Mayweather, 44, gave away TWO STONE, which proved decisive as it went the full eight round distance, meaning no winner was declared.
Logan, 26, claimed a moral victory by defining the odds to survive, and in the eyes of his younger brother Jake, bettered McGregor’s performance.
He said on an episode of the Impaulsive podcast: “Either way, you did better than Conor McGregor against Floyd Mayweather.”
Stats revealed Mayweather actually landed fewer jabs as well as power punches against Logan than he did with McGregor and was less accurate.
But offensively, McGregor, 32, was more accurate against Mayweather than Logan, throwing and landing more, but did have an extra two rounds.
Jake, 24, argued the final punch figures should be ignored regardless, believing his stats after knocking out ex-NBA star Nate Robinson, 37, were floored.
He said: “I saw a lot of people posting the stats. Like the side-by-side, punching stats, no, no, no, pause.
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“It made you look like you didn’t do as good as people thought, right?
“But, in the Jake Paul vs Nate Robinson fight when they posted the side-by-side stats, the stats said that he hit me like eight times, and I only hit him like four times.
“Bro, so f*** those f***ing stats. Whoever’s counting that s*** is a f***ing idiot.
“Nate Robinson didn’t hit me once, and I hit him dozens of times and knocked him down to the ground three times.
“So, how could I only have hit him four times?”
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