Conor McGregor is bulletproof in the UFC at the moment.
Nobody can get near the Dubliner who is 6-0 in the organisation and facing the biggest fight of his life against pound-for-pound king Jose Aldo.
He hasn’t lost a fight for five years since fellow Irishman Joe Duffy submitted him in just 38 seconds.
But if you thought McGregor’s fearsome reputation had struck fear into the former Cage Warriors fighter, you’d be wrong.
Duffy is up for a fight with ‘The Notorious’ and believes he can beat him again.
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He told MMA Junkie that he’s a different beast from the one who faced, and beat, McGregor back in 2010.
“I spent a few years in pro boxing, so I’m very comfortable there; whereas before I wasn’t as confident in my standup game,” he said.
“Now I feel I can stand against anybody. My ground game, my wrestling I always trusted anyway. That was never an area I doubted. So I suppose I kind of feel like I’m more dangerous everywhere and I’m the complete package.
“Conor’s grown. He’s grown in confidence, and obviously his stature has grown as well. I think he’s learned a lot over the years. His ground game has improved, his striking has improved, and he’s improved everywhere. He’s obviously a different fighter five years on.”
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It’s been five years to the day since Duffy beat McGregor. Since then Duffy has had eight MMA fights and seven boxing bouts.
‘Irish Joe’, who is set to fight Dustin Poirier on January 2, now fights at lightweight but says he could face – and beat – interim featherweight champion McGregor again in the future.
“I would address the fight the same way I would any other: I would go in expecting the five rounds and I believe I can finish anyone.
“I’m always looking for those opportunities, and the fight with Conor would be no different. I would be in there, and I would be looking for that finish.
“There’s nobody I fight that I feel I can’t beat in any area. I’m one of them people – I feel I’m an opportunist. I don’t go in there planning to do one thing specifically. I just go in and let the fight unfold and react and take what opportunities are given to me.”
