WATCH! WBA boxing champion says Conor McGregor is ‘definitely an entertaining person in the sport and in the fight game”

WBA boxing champion Keith Thurman has a lot of respect for UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor. Thurman spoke about McGregor’s UFC 194 knockout win over Jose Aldo, where the boxing champion also says he was not impressed with Aldo’s technique.

“So, McGregor did his thing in his 13-second performance,” Thurman said (transcribed by Bloody Elbow) “He obviously — I haven’t watched a lot of him — but hearing what I’ve heard of him, with his boxing background, it was kind of apparent with his step back, check hook that night of the fight.

“I was not impressed with Aldo jumping in and putting his chin so far out on the 1-2 that was exposed and which McGregor caught him with. In fights that are so short, there’s not a lot to talk about, but really, that was the ultimate mistake. He should’ve understood that he was going up against someone with a boxing background, and he should not have lunged in from the start of the match. McGregor saw the lunge, he saw the attack, he countered it, he went down from having so much forward momentum, and then he went into the ground-and-pound, which is apart of UFC, and it was instantly stopped, which I agree with. It was obvious that Aldo was not unconscious at the point but he was in a horrible position and if you truly want to win a fight, you will not allow yourself to be in that position.

Thurman gave McGregor his respect in saying that “The Notorious” is an entertainer not just in MMA, but in combat sports.

“McGregor, going into the ring, his confidence, his charisma. He seems very athletic, although he only got to show a portion of that, and he’s definitely an entertaining person in the sport and in the fight game, in general.”