STUNNING sparring footage shows UFC star Conor McGregor unleashing his impressive boxing skills.
The training clips range from before McGregor first won a UFC title in 2015 leading up to his boxing debut in 2017.
The footage, released by the Irishman’s media company TheMacLife, show spars in The Notorious’ Straight Blast Gym in Dublin and the UFC’s old Las Vegas Ultimate Fighter gym.
McGregor works on his jujitsu with training partner Dillon Danis – who is 2-0 in Bellator – as well as six-time national Irish amateur boxing champion Conor Wallace, who in 2016 was brought in to replicate Nate Diaz’s southpaw boxing style.
In the final spar the ex-featherweight and lightweight champion lands some telling combinations and counters.
McGregor would go on to lose his ring debut against Floyd Mayweather in August 2017, winning some of the early battles before tiring and being stopped in the 10th round.
The Irish southpaw would later admit he should have gone back to work with his old coaches at the Crumlin ABC before the money-spinning crossover bout.
For his UFC return in January, McGregor did spend time at his first gym and even brought head trainer Phil Sutcliffe to Vegas to have him in his corner.
Earlier this year, McGregor’s head coach John Kavanagh told journalist Gareth A Davies he would be expect the UFC star to box again.
The trainer said: “I’d honestly be surprised if Conor doesn’t have a boxing match in the next 12-18 months.
“He loves boxing. He loved the training for the Mayweather fight. It has to be something big, whatever he does seems to always get bigger. He’s always looking for that next step up.”
McGregor would later tell Bleacher Report that he “fully” expects to box again.
He said: “I plan on being around for a long time inside the Octagon, boxing ring, and well beyond my fighting career.
“I love the fight game. I learned may things boxing in Crumlin where I grew up, and my deep love is why I do this today.
“I will be in Octagon again soon and fully expect to box again.”
And plans are afoot for the 32-year-old to step back into the ring and face Manny Pacquiao with a fight reportedly pencilled in for the Middle East next year.
