Conor McGregor had some choice words for promoter Eddie Hearn in Dublin this weekend during Katie Taylor’s homecoming event against Chantelle Cameron.
The UFC superstar sponsored the fight card and was vocal in his support for his compatriot throughout fight week.
Unfortunately for him and the thousands of Irish fans in attendance, Taylor lost over the distance to a fresher and more measured Cameron.
There was more hometown heartbreak on the card though, and it was at that point earlier in the night that McGregor confronted Hearn.
Previously undefeated lightweight prospect, Gary Cully, whipped the crowd up into a frenzy with his ring walk before being stunned by Mexico’s Jose Felix in the third.
Felix landed a flush right hand on Cully that dropped him heavily and, despite brave efforts to hold and fight on, he was done.
The referee took a while to step in given how hurt the Irishman was, and even missed the towel coming in from his corner. Eventually it was stopped, and Cully left the ring with his first defeat.
Speaking to Boxing Social after the event, Hearn said McGregor wasn’t happy with the matchmaking.
“He had a little go at me after the Gary Cully fight. He was like ‘why’d you pick that guy?!'”
The promoter went on to explain that Cully needed these sort of tests should he want to progress, and that despite the Mexican’s impress knockout ratio (40-6-1, 31 KOs), he has been handled by other contenders.
“He’s got to be beating guys like that. Obviously his team liked the fight. Jose Felix has lost to Sandor Martin, he’s lost to Tyrone McKenna, and if you’re a world class lightweight you’ve got to be beating him.”
“But he got excited, he had his chin in the air, he got caught flush and he never recovered.”
Cully (16-1, 10 KOs) will come again and, as with many early career losses, could find this to be the making of him.