UFC 246: Conor McGregor says Tyson Fury lied about training together but offers ‘education’

Fury claimed that the duo had spoken about training together as he considered a move into MMA

Conor McGregor has rubbished Tyson Fury’s claim that the pair discussed training together ahead of the Irishman’s return to UFC.

McGregor fights Donald Cerrone in Las Vegas on Saturday night while Fury is also getting back into action in Vegas next month, against Deontay Wilder in their much-anticipated heavyweight world title rematch.

Fury claimed that the duo had spoken about training together as he considered a move into MMA.

“We might see Tyson Fury have his MMA debut this year [in 2020]. Tyson Fury is taking over,” said Fury in an interview in October. “I have been speaking to Conor about it. He’s willing to train me. It’s gonna be good.

“He’s just said any time that you are ready come over to Dublin and let’s go. I can’t wait, I’m going to take him up on the offer. Who knows we might be on a double-header. I come from a long line of bare-knuckle boxing champions.”

But ahead of his fight with ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, McGregor said the story was made up – although he praised the giant boxer’s abilities.

“I know Tyson’s been talking about it a lot, [how] me and him spoke and I said that I would train him,” McGregor told BT Sport. “I’d never spoken to Tyson in my life, but it’s not a bad little story so I let it roll.

“Tyson’s a good man, I like Tyson. He’s a great boxer, a phenomenal boxer, probably the best natural boxer in the heavyweight division at this time. So, you know, who knows. I don’t think he’s just saying he would do it, then not do it like a lot of them do, I say Tyson probably would probably do it in time.

“Maybe we could set something up, I’m not going to be holding mitts for him or anything, but certainly if he wanted to be trained by me or even educated by me, I’d need to see him in certain positions and certain situations. I’d need to see him spar a heavyweight. I’d need to see him deal with leg kicks. I’d need to see him in the bottom position and then I’d assess that, send him off, tell him what work he needs to do and off he goes. That would probably be something I could do for Tyson.

“I found it funny that he was saying we talked and all this, he’s a mad man, Tyson! I’ve never spoken to Tyson in my life. It’ll be cool that he’s going to be there [at UFC 246].”