Conor McGregor always seems to find himself in the middle of the action, whether in the Octagon or ringside at a boxing match. While the Irishman has been sidelined since 2021, and had to pull out of his return at UFC 303 against Michael Chandler, he recently made a bold-claim at the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois fight. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, McGregor stated, “It’ll be 2025” when asked for a timeline for his long-awaited comeback.

But why did the Irishman miss out on the Calum Walsh vs Przemyslaw Runowski bout? After all, it was held in his home-country and UFC CEO Dana White had personally invited ‘The Notorious’ to the event. Well, the UFC boss cleared the air in a recent interview and shed some more light on the whole situation!

“No disappointment” from Dana White as Conor McGregor faces backlash over Joshua vs Dubois fight antics

During a recent press conference after DWCS 73 (Dana White Contender Series) in Las Vegas, Dana White was asked if he had any “disappointment” over Conor McGregor skipping the Walsh vs Runowski bout but still making it to to Wembley stadium to watch Joshua vs Dubois.

As it turns out, the UFC superstar wasn’t trying to snub White’s event. The UFC boss explained, “No, I was talking to Conor the whole time. Conor got stuck in New York, he had plane issues and Conor landed like right when the fight got over. But Conor wanted to come, he was trying to come, he had an afterparty for him at his place…”

The timing of it all might have raised some eyebrows, but White assured everyone it was just a coincidence. McGregor’s restaurant, The Black Forge, even played host to Calum Walsh’s celebrations, which White praised as “an awesome experience.” The UFC head honcho also confessed that there was “no disappointment” from his part.

Well,  Dana White may have not been disappointed, but that sentiment wasn’t exactly echoed by a lot of fans and prominent figures in the combat sports world due to McGregor’s antics at the Wembley stadium. McGregor was spotted leaping out of his seat and raising his arms above his head as Joshua was being bombarded by shots by Dubois and getting finished in the fifth round.

According to UFC veteran Michael Bisping, he wasn’t exactly a fan of the Irishman’s behavior as he shared on an episode of the ‘Believe You Me Podcast’. Bisping stated, “Walking in with a big cigar, unlit, between the teeth. How do we feel about that? Because two words spring to mind right now: Douche. Bag.”

His co-host, UFC fighter Anthony Smith, also shared ‘The Count’s apprehension as he exclaimed, “I don’t know what happens to people or when you change or how much money you have to have to start doing weird, douch-y s**t like that”. Their criticism highlights how McGregor’s larger-than-life persona continues to divide opinions. Even though he drew a lot of backlash for seemingly celebrating Anthony Joshua’s loss, ‘The Notorious’ took the time to provide his perspective on why Joshua got caught by Dubois!

McGregor points out Joshua’s blunder but claims there’s still a shot for him to return

During his rise in the UFC, there was nothing more dangerous than Conor McGregor’s famed left-hand. Holding an 80% KO/TKO rate, the Irishman is one of the most lethal strikers to ever step foot into the Octagon. So what did he have to say about Anthony Joshua’s performance against Daniel Dubois? After all, McGregor is no stranger to elite boxers, having gone 10 rounds with Floyd Mayweather back in 2017.

In an interview with ‘The Stomping Ground’ McGregor explained, “Joshua was showing the same shot over and over – the step-back back-hander and the step-back uppercut. You need to either meet him or step and go forward.” He also praised Dubois for coming into the fight and going after Joshua as soon as the bell-rang. But despite his antics at ring-side after Joshua crashed to the canvas, surprisingly, McGregor further shared that he believes there’s still a hope for the former champion to return.

Why? According to the Irishman, “He smacked him back and stood his ground and then he went forward and got caught – that’s boxing, you get caught, you catch some. Of course he can come back, for sure.” Despite Joshua’s defeat, McGregor’s analysis of the fight reveals a deeper understanding of boxing’s intricacies.  As we wait for his own highly anticipated return to the Octagon, possibly set for 2025, one thing remains clear: love him or hate him, Conor McGregor always manages to keep people talking!