Eddie Hearn 'doesn't believe' Conor McGregor will be at Katie Taylor fight in Dublin
UFC fighter Conor McGregor, right, and promoter Eddie Hearn ahead of the undisputed super lightweight championship fight between Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena in Dublin earlier this year. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Eddie Hearn says he doesn’t believe Conor McGregor will be in attendance at Katie Taylor’s fight with Chantelle Cameron in Dublin tomorrow night.
The 3Arena will host the much-anticipated rematch a couple of days after the events of Thursday night in the capital.
Conor McGregor has been criticised for his social media posts during the riots.
The UFC star’s Forged Irish Stout is as one of the fight sponsors.
“We will follow developments and we will take instructions,” the promotor said on Ireland AM when asked about McGregor.
“This is an opportunity for positivity, not just for the sport of boxing, but in this country you’re talking about one of your greatest ever role models, an iconic figure of sport.
“This is a celebration of boxing, this is a celebration of Irish sport as well. As always we follow the situations, we don’t feel it will affect the event tomorrow night and we hope that we can go ahead positively with a great event for Irish sport.”
McGregor was at ringside for Taylor’s first fight against Cameron in May, with Forged Irish Stout one of the sponsors of that event also.
Virgin Media presenter Elaine Crowley said McGregor “put himself front and centre,” at the first fight.
She added: “I know he was sponsoring the event, but are we going to see that again on Saturday?
“He’s been quite incendiary in his social media activity over the last 24 hours. No one likes to see what’s happened but his tweets last night were ‘Ireland we are at war’, ‘Do not let any Irish property be taken over unannounced’.
“He’s slammed the government. He said last night you reap what you sow. I mean, are you concerned at all that his rhetoric, which has been widely criticised, by lots of people on mainstream media and social media, are you concerned at all if he gets involved?”
Hearn said: “I don’t believe he’s attending the event.
"I don’t speak on his behalf. He’s obviously someone who has his own views, as everybody does.”
“For us we just focus on the event. We come to Dublin with the aim to grow the sport and continue the work that Katie Taylor has done.”
