The heavyweight stars were two of the biggest names in attendance on Saturday night and went viral for their positive encounter in Saudi Arabia
UFC star Conor McGregor needed just one word to describe Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk reuniting over the weekend.
The two heavyweight stars were ringside for one of the biggest cards in the history of boxing on Saturday night – headlined by an undisputed light-heavyweight rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. It was Bivol who would eventually go on to level the series after getting his hand raised via majority decision.
Saturday night’s card was stacked from top-to-bottom in Riyadh. In the co-main event, Joseph Parker needed just a few minutes to brutally knock Martin Bakole out after the latter stepped in on very short notice after Daniel Dubois was forced to withdraw from his clash with the Kiwi.
Given how big the event – billed as The Last Crescendo – was, it was unsurprising to see some big names in attendance. Boxing superstar Terence Crawford was spotted ringside – although Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo skipped the fights. However, the two biggest stars at the Kingdom Arena were arguably both Joshua and Usyk.
The two heavyweight giants have a bit of history having shared the ring on two separate occasions. Both times, the Ukrainian came out on top. Whilst there was some slight drama post-fight in the sequel, it seems as if the pair have nothing but respect for each other.
In a video uploaded to social media by Ring Magazine during on Saturday, Joshua and Usyk were shown breaking down tactics and enjoying all of the action. McGregor – who has made a bit of a habit of attending big boxing events as of late – was quick to share his thoughts on the interaction. The former dual-weight UFC champion gave a positive reaction to the encounter, replying to the video: “Quality!”
It seems as if the Irishman is missing the fight game. The 36-year-old hasn’t fought since losing to Dustin Poirier back in 2021. Despite being tipped to return to the cage this year, McGregor may be preparing for life outside the UFC after revealing his plan to move to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship – a promotion in which he part-owns.
Speaking at a recent BKFC press conference in Italy, he said: “Yes. Yes. The warrior spirit burns strong inside me. For sure. If you think I’m up here giving these speeches and leading these men into battle and I won’t step in there myself, think again. For sure. Conor McGregor will fight in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship – mark my words.
“I’d like a world title in this company. I would wish to be the Bare Knuckle world champion. That is a significant belt to hold in your career. Nobody from boxing to mixed martial arts can speak nothing bad on a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship world champion. So for sure, I’d be coming in looking for the world title.”