Mike Tyson Has High Praise for Conor McGregor’s Performance in Floyd Mayweather Fight

UFC star Conor McGregor and boxing legend Floyd Mayweather faced off in August 2017 in a fight that lasted 10 rounds. The Irishman lost via TKO after promising a fourth-round knockout. Despite the loss, Mike Tyson was still impressed with the UFC star and made that point very clear during a recent podcast.

Tyson spoke about McGregor during a recent episode of Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson. UFC heavyweight Francis Ngannou was a guest, which led to discussions about crossover fights. The other figures on the podcast were quick to dismiss McGregor’s time in the boxing ring, but Tyson wanted to shut that discussion down. He was impressed with the effort and how McGregor lasted.

“Listen, [it was a spectacle] but this is where it’s not a spectacle — it’s a spectacle but this is where it’s not: he never really had a boxing match in his life, right? He didn’t have a boxing match [and] he went 10 rounds with the greatest fighter in the last 100 years of boxing,” Tyson said. “Think about that. … He went 10 rounds, scored punches on the greatest fighter in the last 100 years. Did he do something? Did he accomplish something?

“Imagine a guy never had a boxing match and he’s fighting boxing with me. He goes 10 rounds and he’s fighting me and we’re fighting. Imagine if he did and we’re fighting and I’m doing my thing,” Tyson continued. “That’s a bad motherf—er. First fight, 10 rounds with the champ, the best champ in the last 50 years or something like that. That’s the winner of the fight! That’s the winner. This should’ve been a one round, two-round fight. Floyd should’ve took it easy. He had to sweat, he had to fight him. He had to fight somebody who was throwing back.”

Tyson made his point, and McGregor later heard the comments. He responded to the praise and thanked the boxing legend. Interestingly enough, McGregor did not simply say his thanks. He actually promised to defeat Mayweather in a rematch. He has been pushing for a rematch after his defeat in 2017, but nothing has been determined.

“Thank you Mike, and just know that for the inevitable rematch, with the knowledge I now hold of Floyd’s style, plus under the tutelage of my old school boxing coach, I will crack the puzzle, and I will beat Floyd. I promise my life on it. It is great to see you back Iron Mike,” McGregor wrote in response to the compliments.