Avni Yildirim Blasts ‘Arrogant’ Conor McGregor For Thinking He Would’ve Beat Manny Pacquiao

Avni Yildirim has put Conor McGregor on notice.

At UFC 257, McGregor made his return to the Octagon to rematch Dustin Poirier. In the lead-up, the Irishman said this fight was to help him prepare for another southpaw in Manny Pacquiao. All signs pointed to the fight being a done deal but the Irishman was shockingly knocked out.

Now, after the loss, Yildirim blasted McGregor for thinking he would beat Pacquiao, especially after what he did against Mayweather.

“Should basketball teams start playing football? Would you watch a baseball team playing hockey? It‘s two different sports. If somebody wants to turn from one sport to the other that‘s fine. But it‘s surely not easy to do,” Yildirim told Sun Sport (via boxingscene).

“We are professionals at what we do. We have done it for years – training, fighting – to get to the level where we are. To believe that you can just enter a sport and beat somebody who has done it his whole life is arrogant and ignorant to say the least.

“I think McGregor has been a big star at UFC but I don‘t see him as a boxer. He clearly lost to Mayweather and I don‘t understand why he should have the desire to lose to Pacquiao. If they want to fight, let them fight. No problem. Would I watch it? I don‘t think so.”

With the loss, it seems likely that McGregor vs. Pacquiao will no longer happen as the hype is now gone. The Irishman has called for the trilogy with Poirier for the vacant belt. Pacquiao, meanwhile, is reportedly set to face Ryan Garcia in an exhibition bout. The fight will be a big one for both men and came together the day after McGregor lost.

Do you agree with Avni Yildirim over his remarks with Conor McGregor?