Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom explains that he was involved in a friendly row with UFC superstar Conor McGregor last Saturday night, at 3Arena in Dublin, Arena.
McGregor was ringside to support close friend Katie Taylor, who was unsuccessful in attempting to capture the undisputed junior welterweight crown from Chantelle Cameron.
Before the main event took place, McGregor witnessed his countryman, Gary Cully, suffer the first defeat of his pro career when he was knocked out in three rounds by Mexican veteran Jose Felix.
On paper, it seemed like a tough test that Cully should have been able to overcome.
Felix entered the fight with back to back defeats at the hands of Sandor Martin and Tyrone McKenna.
Hearn believes it's time for Cully to move up in weight to junior welterweight. Cully, who stands at 6'2, had been working hard to make the lightweight limit of 135 for the last few years.
Cully had a significant size advantage, but it did very little for him when Felix landed the first big shot to the chin - which sent Cully crashing to the mat in the third. He was dropped for a second time moments later - and then punished with big shots until the towel was thrown in.
“He never recovered from the first knockdown. Got overexcited, had his chin in the air, got hit by a Mexican who can punch. I had a bit of a row, a friendly row, with Conor McGregor, because he said, ‘Why did you put him in with him?’ You’ve got to beat kids like that. Tyrone McKenna beat him, Sandor Martin beat him. You are talking about Gary Cully being a world-class lightweight, you have to beat guys like that," Hearn told IFL TV.
“He would have beaten him if he would have boxed smart, but it was a devastating defeat and he’s going to learn a lot from that. He’s going to come back from that and maybe he needs to look to move up to 140-pounds as well. He looks so tired at that weight and that was 138-pounds.”
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