Comments Thread For: Katie Taylor: Conor McGregor Is 'Muhammad Ali Of UFC, Isn't Celebrated Much In Ireland'

[paulf]

Eh its not the strongest comparison but I get what she's saying - he's not the greatest fighter, but he's the biggest crossover star/sports icon the UFC has produced. By far.

I can't stand him, but there's has never been fanboy-ism around a UFC fighter like there is around McGregor. He is to everyday white dudes what Manny Pacquiao is to Filipino Americans.... an absolute God.

[Inoue Body Shot]

Eh its not the strongest comparison but I get what she's saying - he's not the greatest fighter, but he's the biggest crossover star/sports icon the UFC has produced. By far.

I can't stand him, but there's has never been fanboy-ism around a UFC fighter like there is around McGregor. He is to everyday white dudes what Manny Pacquiao is to Filipino Americans.... an absolute God.

Haha idk what "white dudes" that you're talking about... I am of Polish heritage and most of my friends are either German or Polish ancestry living in America and none of them like conor but actually dislike him...

[Liondw]

McGregor hit the lottery with that Mayweather fight, that was some achievement and being in the right place at the right time.

After 2020, I don't think any fighter will get those paydays again, with the likes of Mayweather and Pacquiao. Fury and Joshua would've gotten that kind of money for one fight if they fought before AJ lost to Usyk.

Conor made it big in the UFC and knew how to sell fights, as Floyd did. Conor probably does miss some of the attention and adrenaline of big fights, and realised that all the money doesn't buy everything.

[lopetego]

If Connor is the UFC's equivalent of Ali...then the UFC is ****!

[-Kev-]

That’s really dumb and insulting of Taylor to say. Insulting to Ali.

He is not even the equivalent of Ali of all the current active UFC fighters. Let alone all time. And Ali was not all about fame, it was also who he beat. And when he lost, how he lost. And what he did outside of the ring. His impact on the entire world.

Being a crossover star, and being good at advertising your fights or yourself, doesn’t make you Ali. It gives you just ONE of the qualities that give Ali “The Greatest” nickname. You have to have the resume, and most importantly the impact Ali had. From going to prison for refusing to go to war against Vietnam, to being in the forefront of the civil rights movement. Ali literally helped saved lives, by helping in negotiations in freeing 15 American hostages in Iraq. And 4 others in Lebanon, to name a few good things he did. Ali fought for world peace.

If just being a crossover star athlete is all you need to be “like Ali”, then there’s a lot of “Ali’s” out there.

McGregor is the McGregor of UFC. Like there’s only one Mike Tyson, one Michael Jordan, one Babe Ruth. Mike Tyson isn’t like any other fighter that came before him, and no other fighter that came after him is like him.

Ali is the same. Ali can’t be compared to any other black boxer. Not even Jack Johnson or Joe Louis. They are all different. Different qualities. Ali isn’t the “Jackie Robinson” of boxing either.

These athletes were popular because they were unique. Their qualities and impact can’t be repeated. They did what they did in a unique situation, and they had unique responses to those situations. Literally can’t be repeated.

Putting McGregor in the same sentence as Ali, saying McGregor is the Ali of the UFC, is an insult to Ali. One promoted world peace. The other one talked sh/t about a man’s religion and threatened to kill another opponent and his wife. Ali’s worse trash talking doesn’t come close to that.

[whatismyname]

If Conor is the Ali of mma, then Jake Paul is the Fedor of boxing

[Obtuse]

He's a drunk and a sloppy one at that !