UFC: Conor McGregor ‘certainly a viewer’ of YouTuber Jake Paul’s venture into boxing world

‘Notorious’ hails boxing greats Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jnr, and praises Paul’s ‘good business’ with former NBA star Robinson
‘If it makes dollars, it makes sense,’ says McGregor before Dustin Poirier comeback fight

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

Andrew McNicol

Published: 8:53pm, 16 Jan 2021

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Conor McGregor says “the YouTube kid” Jake Paul has every right to step into the MMA world – but noted there are levels to the game.

The Irish lightweight (22-4), who is scheduled to return after more than a year out against Dustin Poirier (26-6) at UFC 257 on January 23, also acknowledged legendary boxers Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jnr and their exhibition bout last month.

“If they are fighting well then it can’t make a mockery of fighting. They’re getting in and competing. I am not so much against it,” the 32-year-old McGregor told Bloomberg.

“What I will say though is the numbers that that show calculated was a Mike Tyson fight. You had an icon fighting as well as Roy Jones Jnr, two GOATs [greatest of all time] of combat sports. And then you had the YouTube kid and NBA star competing underneath that. So they done good business.”

Paul, the younger brother of fellow YouTuber-turned-amateur boxer Logan Paul, posted several trash-talk-heavy video messages for McGregor following his second-round KO of former NBA star Nate Robinson on the undercard of Tyson vs Jones Jnr.

“Am I into those competitions myself? You know it’s not the most high-level – if any level – at that stage. Obviously the Tyson vs Jones fight was very high level and very interesting to see what they’re like in their older age. I thought they both fought amazingly,” said McGregor, who last fought in a first-round TKO of veteran Donald Cerrone in January 2020.

“As they say, if it makes dollars, it makes sense. I know Dana and the UFC are not really into it, but I’m not so against it. I think if people are willing to get in and take the risk of making that walk, I’m certainly a viewer.”