Joseph Duffy won’t be pursuing a rematch with Conor McGregor – but admits he would love to prove a point against ‘The Notorious’.
In 2010, Duffy took just 38 seconds to beat McGregor by submission at Cage Warriors 39 in Cork.
Until McGregor lost to Nate Diaz in 2016, Duffy had become known as ‘the last man to beat McGregor’ and is regularly asked about a rematch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcbPNf6HlLA
Duffy (16-3-0), who makes his long-awaited return to the octagon on March 16 at UFC London when he faces Marc Diakiese (12-3-0), insists he won’t be making any calls to demand a showdown with McGregor.
“I’m not going to be calling him out and all this craic, it’s just not me,” the Burtonport man told Eurobash.
“I’m not going looking for [a rematch]; I’m just focusing on my own thing.
“I want be able to look back on my career, when I show my kids and my grandkids, and say, ‘This is me, I done it my way and I wasn’t a dose’.
“I want to be able to look back with pride and not think, ‘Jesus, I can’t even listen to myself’, you know?”
There is a part of the Donegal man that would relish a meeting with McGregor. After McGregor lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov, Duffy’s name was mentioned again.
“For me, it’s just that far in the past…the option is always open,” Duffy – who had an unbeaten 6-0 stint as a professional boxer – said.
“If that happened, I would love it. Croke Park, it’s a dream for anyone; it’s like a Dublin vs. Donegal match for me.
“It would be a huge fight and I’m pretty sure we would sell out Croke Park no bother, but it’s not something I’m pursuing, I just want to do this my way and I suppose I’ve got to take one fight at a time.
“If that opportunity presents itself, of course I’d love to have that fight again Look what [McGregor] has gone on to do and obviously I would love to prove that I could beat him again.”
Listen to the full podcast, featuring Duffy, below …