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Max Holloway drops the gloves: Begins training with eyes on McGregor
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- Max Holloway drops the gloves: Begins training with eyes on McGregor
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Max Holloway has already started training for a potential fight with Conor McGregor, even though nothing’s been made official yet.
The Hawaiian fan favourite is coming off a disappointing setback that saw him lose the symbolic BMF title to Charles Oliveira at UFC 326 in March.
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Despite the loss, there’s still talk of an even bigger fight on the horizon. Ariel Helwani has reported that Holloway is being lined up to face McGregor in what would be one of the year’s most anticipated matchups.
The fight is rumoured to be targeted for UFC 329, and while nothing’s been finalised, Max isn’t waiting around for confirmation. He’s already back in the gym, getting himself ready for whatever comes next.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Max Holloway has his eyes on UFC 329: Training for McGregor bout underway
McGregor hasn’t fought since breaking his leg in a bout against Dustin Poirier back in 2021. While he’s talked about returning before, nothing has materialised yet.
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This year, though, it looks like he may finally make good on those plans. After a proposed fight at the White House fell through, attention has shifted to International Fight Week as a more likely stage for his comeback.
Dana White already said McGregor won’t be facing Michael Chandler next, which has opened the door for other names to step forward. Among them is Holloway, who lost to ‘The Notorious’ over a decade ago and is now looking for another shot.
According to Daniel Cormier, speaking on his YouTube channel, Holloway is completely focused on making that fight happen.
“I posed this question to him, just as a friend, I said, ‘Could you ever have imagined that losing the BMF title would put you closer to the Conor McGregor fight? … Do you wanna do this? Are you ready to go?’” Cormier said on his YouTube channel.
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“Max said to me, ‘I am training right now because it is all I want. It is all I want. It is all I want in my career, if I get the opportunity to face McGregor in his return fight. Not only because I know it will bring eyes to me…but because I know I’ve gotta get that back.’
“He said, ‘I’m a grown man now. This is the fight I want, the fight I need. This is the fight that makes sense. Me vs McGregor.’ Hands down, no questions, no hesitations. It’s what he wants because he feels he’s earned it.
“Max has put a lot of work in for the company, for the fans, and Max deserves an opportunity to right something he feels was done so wrong so many years ago.”
McGregor and Holloway have often talked about running it back. Some fans think the Irishman wouldn’t be able to handle Holloway after such a long time away from fighting. Nothing has been announced just yet, but there should be more clarity soon enough as we get closer to International Fight Week this summer.
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