Stephen A. Smith has expressed no objections to the upcoming boxing exhibition fight between Conor McGregor and Logan Paul. McGregor, a former two-weight UFC champion, has announced a delay in his return to mixed martial arts to participate in this bout in India. It will mark McGregor’s return to the ring after a long hiatus; he last fought in July 2021, where he suffered a severe leg injury in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier.
Initially, McGregor was slated to compete against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June but had to withdraw due to a foot injury. Recently, he clarified the situation about rumors of a possible match with Ilia Topuria, stating that these claims were untrue. Instead, he has confirmed preliminary agreements with the Ambani family for the exhibition match against Paul.
Logan Paul’s boxing experience includes four exhibition fights, along with his recent success in WWE, where he captured the U.S. Championship in November 2023. In contrast, McGregor has only one professional boxing match under his belt, which took place in 2017 against Floyd Mayweather, resulting in a TKO defeat.
On a separate note, McGregor was recently found liable in a civil case regarding a sexual assault claim made by a woman from December 2018, resulting in a court-ordered payment of €248,000 (approximately $257,000). He maintains that the encounter was consensual and plans to appeal the ruling. Despite these legal challenges, he is not facing any criminal charges in relation to the case, though the situation has led to various companies distancing themselves from his brand.
In summary, while McGregor’s return to competitive fighting may be delayed, the upcoming exhibition against Paul offers a platform for him to rekindle his career in combat sports and entertain his fans once again. This fight could also potentially pave the way for his eventual return to the UFC, demonstrating resilience in the face of recent personal and legal challenges.