Irish boxing champ Katie Taylor has Conor McGregor’s back for sure. The five belt holder and Olympic gold medalist told Ariel Helwani, the famous mixed martial arts journalist, that Conor is a massive star who doesn’t get the respect he deserves back home in Ireland.
“He's always been a fantastic support to me, but I think he's just someone who's actually transcended the sport. He's like, for me, the Muhammad Ali of the UFC,” she said during a recent interview with Helwani.
No. 1 P4P women’s boxer @KatieTaylor says @TheNotoriousMMA doesn't get the props he deserves 🙌 pic.twitter.com/wIippCzDEs
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) December 28, 2021
“He's just a fantastic athlete. A great businessman as well. But what he's done in the sport and the UFC has been absolutely incredible, and I don't think he's celebrated as much as he should be here in Ireland. I think he is an absolute global superstar and just a phenomenal athlete, and he's always been a complete gentleman towards me.”
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That may be true as far as Katie goes, but Conor hasn’t always acted so nicely. He punched an elderly man in a Dublin pub a few years back, has other assault charges on his rap sheet, and he’s been accused of sexual assault as well. And it’s true that some Irish consider him more of an embarrassment than a hero.
Katie, though, is willing to overlook the flaws. “I just think he's had a few controversial moments outside of the cage as well that people obviously didn't appreciate,” she said.
“But I'm looking at him as just a phenomenal athlete, and someone who I generally think has transcended the sport.”
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