On a night where fellow countryman Michael Conlan won his pro debut on Broadway, Conor McGregor took most of the spotlight away.
Conlan, a 2016 Olympic boxer, scored a lopsided TKO victory over Tim Ibarra in front of a sold-out crowd at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, but it was McGregor that threw the biggest punches after the bell.
The UFC lightweight champion flew to New York at the request of Conlan who wanted McGregor to walk him to the ring. After the fight had concluded, McGregor made a beeline to press row and went face-to-face of ESPN.com boxing writer Dan Rafael, who at the time among a pool of reporters was interviewing Top Rank promoter Bob Arum.
McGregor yelled at Rafael, who among many boxing and MMA media members have Mayweather securing a victory if they do end up fighting.
"You're the boxing guy?" McGregor said to Rafael.
"I'm the boxing the guy," Rafael answered. That set off McGregor who went into a rage.
“I’m the boxing guy,” McGregor said. “Watch me take over boxing, trust me on that. No one in this boxing game knows what’s coming. Trust me on that. I’m going to step in there and shock the whole goddamn world. Trust me on that.
“Look me in the eyes, 28 years of age, confident as a motherf—er, long, rangy, dangerous with every hand. Trust me, I’m going to stop Floyd and you’re all going to eat your words. The whole world is going to eat their words.”
A reporter asked McGregor when the fight is taking place. McGregor responded, "It's getting close. Don't worry about it. You'll hear about it. I'm out of here".
Steven Muehlhausen is an MMA and boxing writer and contributor for Sporting News. You can find his podcast, "The Fight Club Chicago," and subscribe on iTunes. You can email him at [email protected] and can find him on Twitter @SMuehlhausenMMA.
