– Paul Dollery reports from Las Vegas
EARLIER THIS WEEK, newly-crowned WBO, IBA and WBA heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury claimed that Conor McGregor has been copying him.
“I think [McGregor] copied me in everything he does,” said Fury on The MMA Hour. “I was the first trash-talker big time on these shores, Britain and Ireland, and all of a sudden he started copying me, this Conor McGregor guy.
“I grew a big beard and he grew a big beard. I talked bullshit about everybody, then he starts talking bullshit about everybody. If it worked for the heavyweight champion of the world, it must work for Conor McGregor; some guy who’s like 140lbs or whatever he is.”
At last night’s pre-fight press conference ahead of his featherweight title unification bout against Jose Aldo at UFC 194 on Saturday, McGregor was asked for his thoughts on Fury’s comments.
Perhaps surprisingly, the UFC’s interim 145lbs champion didn’t fire back as many may have expected. In fact, the Dubliner appeared to be amused by the boxer’s statement.
McGregor, who has previously been likened to iconic UFC fighters such as Chael Sonnen, Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz, responded with a smirk:
“There are many times in the game when you get compared to other fighters. I’ve been compared to everybody. I’ve been compared to Chael. I’ve been compared to Anderson. I’ve been compared to Diaz.
“I’ve been compared to Muhammad Ali… now you’re trying to compare me to Tyson Fury.
“I’ll continue to say I am my own man. I am on my own journey. Tyson is an amusing character. But that’s it, I don’t really… I am me. I am nobody else but me.”
