Conor McGregor has attracted criticism in some quarters for his choice of words in taunting Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the first press conference ahead of the money-spinning bout in Las Vegas on Aug. 26
Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather Jr. set the stage for their much-anticipated boxing bonanza by engaging in the first promotional stop off of their “world tour” at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Among the subjects of McGregor’s verbal assault on the boxing legend was the manner of his perceived victory (a quick knockout), Mayweather’s IRS issues and the 49-0 ring legend’s choice of clothing (a tracksuit).
However, it was one particular comment which drew heat from a number of observers. While Mayweather was shadow boxing on stage for the cameras, McGregor quipped “dance for me, boy”. The comment was enough for McGregor to have sensed that he may have inadvertently made a racial faux pas and he quickly repeated the “dance for me” part with “Sir” added to the end of the sentence in place of “Boy”.
McGregor has been accused of making racist comments in the past. At a press conference prior to his UFC 196 meeting with Nate Diaz, McGregor referred to the Stockton-native as a “cholo gangster from the hood,” which was seen as a derogatory slur given Diaz’s Mexican heritage.
It must be pointed out that McGregor carries a distinctive Dublin-Irish vernacular and is extremely unlikely to have intended to cause any offense with his words.
