Conor McGregor sends warning to boxers considering switch to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
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The Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship continues to go from strength to strength, with last night's 'Knucklemania 5' event dominating this morning's combat sports headlines – with Conor McGregor front and center.
From facing off with the Paul brothers at Donald Trump's inauguration to pulling BKFC fighters apart with a Cannoli in his hand – it's certainly been an interesting week for the 'Notorious' former UFC champion.
Yet as Conor McGregor sets his sights on growing the BKFC brand into a global combat sports powerhouse, what does he think about professional boxers making such a switch?
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Conor McGregor warns professional boxers about switching to BKFC
Ahead of a truly sensational night of bare-knuckle action, Conor McGregor spoke to DAZN Boxing about the possibility of more professional boxers joining the promotion, and whether they could find success under the BKFC banner.
"You know, most of them, if not all of them [could find success]," noted McGregor, before sending an ominous warning about the dangers that come with fighting bare knuckle.
"Do not get it twisted, it is bare-knuckle fighting, it is not boxing. The ruleset is slightly modified, and we have many influences of Division 1 All-American wrestlers, and you know, we've got Cuban Olympians that are involved in this sport.
"It's a bit rougher and tougher than a boxing bout. You know, if you trained in boxing and you're highly skilled in boxing, for sure it's going to translate… But you've got to have something deep in you that not a lot of people have."
There are already a couple of former professional boxers on the BKFC roster, with McGregor keen to drive home the fact that there's only one way to know who would succeed, and who would fail.
"So, there's only one way to find out, have you got it or not, and that's testing yourself in the truest proving ground in fighting sport – and that's it. So, let's see how it goes."
Conor McGregor reportedly 'confirms' BKFC bout against infamous rival
Conor McGregor has been teasing that he'd love to test himself in the 'truest proving ground in fighting' for some time, but is there any genuine drive to see him compete in BKFC?
Well, according to the promotion's founder Dave Feldman, Notorious' BKFC debut could arrive much sooner than previously believed.
"As I was walking out of the arena, Conor actually tapped me on the shoulder and told me to make sure that I tell everybody that he's fighting Jeremy Stephens in BKFC," Feldman claimed at the post-fight press conference.
"That's what he said. I don't know if it's happening, but Conor McGregor told me he's fighting Jeremy Stephens in bare-knuckle."
McGregor and Stephens went face-to-face in the ring after 'Lil Heathen' stopped hometown hero Eddie Alvarez in the main event of the evening.
"Here, let's make a date, who's going to stop me man to man? No one is going to stop me. David [Feldman, let's] make a date, let's do it. I'm down for it, bro."
