Conor McGregor has backed rising Irish UFC star Ian Garry to follow in his footsteps and become the next world champion from his home nation.
The Dublin duo have a clear mutual respect, with Garry noting that it was staying up through the night to watch McGregor's Las Vegas and New York triumphs during his heyday that inspired him to go into the sport. And having landed himself the No.13 spot in the welterweight rankings with a stunning knockout of Daniel Rodriguez last weekend, the sky appears the limit for the youngster.
Speaking with Mirror Fighting yesterday (Friday) at The Black Forge Inn, his South Dublin hotspot, McGregor confirmed that he believes Garry will become UFC champion; the first from Ireland since his two wins at featherweight and lightweight. Both men are now competing in the welterweight division, with the former champion making his comeback this December against Michael Chandler.
"I loved it," McGregor said of Garry's head-kick knockout, which the 25-year-old predicted during a pre-fight interview on The Craic. "It was phenomenal. No doubt about it. He's all the way this kid." And pressed on whether or not Garry will win the gold, he replied. "I'd love to see him do it and I believe he can do it and I believe he will do it. I'm rooting for him all the way."
McGregor jetted back to Dublin yesterday to help Eddie Hearn with the promotion for Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron, where a number of his brands are key sponsors. And he heaped praise on Taylor for inspiring a new generation of fighters, similarly to how he inspired the likes of Garry to make moves in the UFC.
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"He got into it because of me," McGregor said of Garry. "There's so many girls right now in Ireland. In Crumlin Boxing Club - my club - we had our most successful senior championship recently, we had our most medals. We sent in 15 competitors and like 11 of them were girls.
"They were all girls, we had like 13 medalists, gold medalists, it was our most successful senior championships and that was all due to the success and rise of Katie Taylor that has motivated these girls. It's happened with my sport as you've seen with Ian Garry, it's come to fruition. The fight game's beautiful, greatness spurs greatness and on we go."
Garry has been open about being inspired by McGregor, and recently reunited with his hero while he was in Las Vegas for Jon Jones' heavyweight title bout with Cyril Gane. The Dubliner was on the undercard, and met McGregor for the first time since his teen years backstage after a media event.
