Conor McGregor goes back to boxing roots prior to UFC bout against Donald Cerrone

Conor McGregor is gearing up to take on Donald Cerrone next month on his UFC return since last losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov at the UFC 229 main event. The UFC 246 main event will mark the return of the Irishman after a 16-month hiatus from the sport. With the fight just four weeks away, Conor McGregor has finally stepped up his preparations for the highly-anticipated comeback as he got inside into a boxing ring at his boyhood club, the Crumlin boxing gym to test his skills against a professional boxer John Joe Nevin in an exhibition boxing match ahead of his UFC showdown.

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Nevin is a WBA International super-featherweight champion and a two-time Olympian. He is a 2012 silver medallist, who has been undefeated in his last 14 bouts. Conor McGregor took to his Instagram handle to confirm the bout, calling it a great exhibition bout at the Crumlin B.C Christmas show against John Joe Nevin. He also thanked his opponent for the rounds.

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UFC: Conor McGregor and his roots in boxing

For those unaware, Conor McGregor got into combat sport as an amateur boxer before he decided to make a transition into the world of mixed martial arts, making his amateur debut back in 2007. McGregor, who is recognised as one of the best strikers in the MMA, did make it to the boxing ring two years ago in 2017 when he went up against Floyd Mayweather in one of the biggest boxing showdowns of the year. However, the Irishman suffered a loss after the official had to stop the fight in the 10th round when it was clear that McGregor was on his way down, marking the 50th win of Mayweather's career. McGregor's fight against Donald Cerrone is highly anticipated and should the Irishman score a victory, it could potentially lead to a rematch against the reigning UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

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