SBG Ireland Head coach John Kavanagh believes that Conor McGregor is too obsessed with boxing and it cost him his match against Dustin Poirier. Furthermore, Kavanagh believes that his approach to their trilogy fight will have Conor more prepared for an MMA match.
UFC 246
Conor looked sharp in the opening round of their main event fight. His jab was accurate in placement. Trademark shoulder strikes from McGregor were thrown, giving fans a reminder of how he defeated Donald Cerrone at UFC 246.
However, Poirier, AKA “The Diamond” applied the pressure needed to create controlled chaos inside of the octagon. Relentless pressure, cracking leg kicks, and fluid boxing all contributed to a TKO victory.
Kavanagh Speaks on McGregor Boxing Camp
In retrospect, one of McGregor’s biggest issues during the bout was checking the constant leg kicks from Poirier. And while Conor joked on social media about his errors long after the fight, coach Kavanagh admitted their errors. , John spoke Speaking with BT Sport about what he and Conor did to prepare for the Poirier fight.
“We got a bit obsessed with the boxing one,” admitted Kavanagh.
“There was talk of a big boxing fight after that. Our bad, our mistake, our fault – no one to blame. We just have to make sure we have to keep spinning that kickboxing plate and all the other aspects of MMA and get ready for the rematch.”
“Fair play to Dustin, Mike (Brown), and the guys,” Kavanagh said. “Even when he was getting clocked, he got hit a couple of times hard, and he still didn’t start getting into a trading war or try and gas himself out or go for a takedown.
Approaching the Trilogy
As the interview continued, John said that Conor just needs to refine his tools. Also, that their focus will be MMA-centered next time they face Poirier, instead of being obsessed with boxing.
Who will win the trilogy fight with Conor’s new mindset?
