Joseph Duffy (14-1) är en av två fighters som har besegrat Conor McGregor (18-2) och Duffy är säker på att han kan göra det igen.
Duffy vann matchen på submission efter 39 sekunder i den första ronden och Duffy berättar att han fortfarande kommer ihåg den matchen väldigt tydligt.
“I can still remember that fight quite clearly; it was my first fight back after the loss on ‘(The Ultimate Fighter 12),’” berättade Duffy för MMAjunkie. “It was a big fight for me. It was a big fight to get back into the swing of things, and it was my first fight on a show of that scale also. I remember the fight clearly, and I felt that was the start of me moving on to the next level. After ‘TUF’ I felt like I broke a few barriers, a few hurdles, that was hindering my game, and that was the start of me breaking all that down.”
Duffy berättar att han tidigare inte varit bekväm med sin standup, men efter att ha gått boxningsmatcher känner han sig bekväm med sin boxning.
“I spent a few years in pro boxing, so I’m very comfortable there; whereas before I wasn’t as confident in my standup game,” sa han. “Now I feel I can stand against anybody. My ground game, my wrestling I always trusted anyway. That was never an area I doubted. So I suppose I kind of feel like I’m more dangerous everywhere and I’m the complete package.
“Conor’s grown. He’s grown in confidence, and obviously his stature has grown as well. I think he’s learned a lot over the years. His ground game has improved, his striking has improved, and he’s improved everywhere. He’s obviously a different fighter five years on.”
Duffy berättar att om en rematch mot McGregor någonsin skulle ske, så skulle Duffy vara säker på att vinna och han skulle även gå in med samma förväntningar som han hade inför deras första match.
“I would address the fight the same way I would any other: I would go in expecting the five rounds and I believe I can finish anyone,” sa Duffy. “I’m always looking for them opportunities, and the fight with Conor would be no different. I would be in there, and I would be looking for that finish.
“There’s nobody I fight that I feel I can’t beat in any area. I’m one of them people – I feel I’m an opportunist. I don’t go in there planning to do one thing specifically. I just go in and let the fight unfold and react and take what opportunities are given to me.”
Foto: Mazdak Cavian
