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LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 12: (R-L) Conor McGregor of Ireland punches Jose Aldo of Brazil in their UFC featherweight championship bout during the UFC 194 event inside MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 12, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 12: (R-L) Conor McGregor of Ireland punches Jose Aldo of Brazil in their UFC featherweight championship bout during the UFC 194 event inside MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 12, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Conor McGregor has often been considered the best boxer in the UFC. After all, he was the one that represented MMA in a major boxing fight against Floyd Mayweather a few years ago. While Conor lost that bout, his performance was quite admirable. In the years since that, many other strikers have come into their own and have claimed the best boxer title.
Dustin Poirier seems to be the incumbent holder after his masterful TKO of Conor McGregor. He also beat Max Holloway in 2019, a man that set almost every UFC single-fight strike record in his domination of Calvin Kattar. He had done that once before against Brian Ortega as well.
Dustin Poirier says Max Holloway is a better boxer than Conor McGregor (@TheFightWTA) pic.twitter.com/xeLm5oNWtn
— Proper Vegetables (@ProperVeggies) February 3, 2021
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Poirier has faced both Conor and Max and believes that Holloway might be the better boxer of the two.
“Conor is definitely the better puncher. It seems Max puts things together and is in position to throw combinations better. I think Max Holloway.”
Conor McGregor: Has he fallen behind Max Holloway?
There is no question that Poirier is the best boxer in the lighter weight classes after his recent performances. However, does Conor McGregor not even stack up to Max Holloway anymore? After all, Conor has a win over Max from many years ago. But if Poirier proved anything, early McGregor wins against fighters that are now elite may not mean as much.
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EDMONTON, ALBERTA – JULY 27: Max Holloway celebrates after defeating Frankie Edgar in their UFC featherweight championship bout during the UFC 240 event at Rogers Place on July 27, 2019 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC)
Holloway has developed into an all-time great, and many people’s pick for the greatest Featherweight of all-time. Conor won two world titles in different divisions but didn’t establish the same pedigree that Max has done by taking fights constantly throughout his career.
READ MORE: Conor McGregor Willing To Rematch Max Holloway In Lightweight Division
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From what we saw during the first week of 2021 UFC, Max is definitely ahead of Conor. What Holloway did to Kattar was beautiful in terms of how surreal it was. He was fighting a top Featherweight contender and punching him while talking to the commentary booth.
While Conor fought well, especially in the first round against Dustin, his rustiness was evident throughout the fight. Poirier may have made the right choice.
