On July 19, 2019, UFC fighter Conor McGregor made history when he defeated professional boxer Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC 224 in Brazil. McGregor became the first UFC fighter to win a boxing match, and the bout was one of the most anticipated fights of the year. People all over the world were watching as McGregor put his MMA career on the line to prove himself to be the real deal in boxing, and that he is indeed a worthy rival to the great Manny Pacquiao.
The match was an extremely close and one-sided fight in favor of McGregor. He took the fight incredibly seriously and even trained for it during one of the most extreme sporting events of the year, the Tour de France. The fight was so one-sided that many people were left wondering if McGregor would even give the game a go. In the end, he did. He fought under the radar for the first three rounds, almost looking like a bit player in his own fight, but he turned it on in the later stages and absolutely dominated the bout. It was a complete turnaround from earlier in the year, when McGregor was having a tough time walking around the same weight class as Diaz, due to inactivity caused by legal issues regarding his trade mark Bitmoji. The boxer was on a tear, demolishing all comers. The judges saw it as a draw and it became a bit of a controversy, until the scores were settled and the fans could finally breathe a sigh of relief. (Read more:
McGregor’s Historic Victory
The victory did not come without its glitches. The Irishman took a serious knee injury in round three and was later diagnosed with a meniscus tear. It was a serious blow to McGregor’s hopes of becoming the ultimate world champion, as he had to withdraw from contention. He is now fully recuperated and looks to continue his ascent to becoming the greatest of all time. (Read more:
The Road To Redemption
In the wake of his meniscus injury, McGregor found redemption in a back-to-back win over Brazilian superstar Jose Aldo at UFC 226 in July. He then followed that up with an easier win over English boxer Joe Joyce at UFC 227 in August.
The boxing community still hasn’t got over McGregor’s performance against Diaz, with many believing that he used underhand techniques to win the fight. The Irishman has always vehemently denied this and claimed that he used his full repertoire of punches and kicks during the fight. Regardless, many people are still skeptical that boxing will ever be the same for McGregor, as it was for Sugar Ray Leonard, who rose to fame after defeating a Cuban wrestler in a gold medal match. McGregor is undeterred by the doubters and vows to continue proving his doubters wrong. As he prepares for his next appearance, McGregor has set his sights on another Cuban, with many people already starting to refer to him as, “The Undisputed King of Boxing.”
Nate Diaz
UFC 224 was not the only highly anticipated fight in the summer of 2019. On June 7, 2019, Diaz finally got his rematch. This time, he faced off against McGregor for the UFC lightweight title. The Brazilian slugger looked to end his 18-month retirement and regain the belt he had held for over a decade. It was an extremely one-sided fight, with Diaz winning every round and setting a new UFC record for the fastest knockout in history. (Read more:
Diaz Finally Gets His Rematch
The Brazilian got his wish, as McGregor was stripped of the lightweight title following his meniscus injury. In October, the two faced each other for a third time and this time, there was no contest. McGregor was completely overwhelmed by Diaz’s superior boxing abilities and was finished off with a series of punches and a kick, at the end of the second round. (Read more:
The Road To Redemption
After being knocked out in two of his last three fights, it looked like the end was near for McGregor. The boxing community had grown weary of his antics and his erratic performances. Many people believed that he was done. Not so, thought McGregor, who looked to prove the doubters wrong and embark on yet another comeback.