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Conor McGregor Warms Up For UFC Return With Exhibition Boxing Fight

Conor McGregor Warms Up For UFC Return With Exhibition Boxing Fight

The UFC star faced off against WBA International champ John Joe Niven at the Crumlin boxing gym, ahead of his return to action next month.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Conor McGregor has stepped up his preparation for his January return to UFC, when he will take on Donald Cerrone, by taking on a professional boxer in an exhibition fight.

UFC 246 on January 18th will see the return to action for McGregor, 16 months after he last fought, when he takes on 'Cowboy' Cerrone at welterweight.

With the fight just four weeks away the Notorious got back inside a boxing ring at his boyhood club, the Crumlin boxing gym, to take on WBA International super-featherweight champion John Joe Niven in an exhibition fight.

McGregor confirmed the fight on Instagram saying, "Great exhibition bout at the Crumlin B.C Christmas show against John Joe Nevin. Big lad is John Joe, thank you for the rounds!"

McGregor started his fight career as an amateur boxer in the gym but he soon decided to move into mixed martial arts, making his amateur debut in 2007.

The Irishman did return to the ring in 2017 when he faced Floyd Mayweather in one of boxing's biggest events of the year but he was unsuccessful, with Mayweather marking up the 50th win of his career.

Since then the former two weight UFC champion has only had one MMA fight, his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 but he will soon be back.

Like Khabib, the Dubliner was suspended for six months following their fight but the Russian has already been in action, beating Dustin Poirier, and McGregor's return has been long awaited.

The fight with Cerrone is highly anticipated and should the 31-year-old win then it could be a step towards fighting for another title or a rematch with Nurmagomedov back at lightweight.

McGregor during his fight with Mayweather. Image: PA Images
McGregor during his fight with Mayweather. Image: PA Images

Asked what he was expecting from McGregor, Cerrone told MMAJunkie, "The same hungry kid there's always been. He's coming to knock my head off. There's a lot weighing on this fight so I'm probably going to get the best Conor McGregor out there."

Will McGregor be successful on his return to UFC?

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Topics:ย Donald Cerrone, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor Mcgregor, Boxing News, UFC News, MMA News, UFC 246, Boxing, UFC, MMA

Ryan is a writer for SPORTbible. He covers all sport from football, formula one, cricket, rugby, tennis, athletics, mma and wrestling. He obviously hates YOUR football team and has no interest in synchronised swimming.

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