Wednesday 9 December 2015 12:35, UK
Tyson Fury has accused UFC star Conor McGregor of copying his attitude and style.
The new world heavyweight champion, who is of Irish descent, backed up his boastful claims by dethroning long-time title-holder Wladimir Klitschko amid a storm of critical remarks.
Fury, who claims MMA is for failed boxers, believes he paved the way for McGregor to also adopt a loudmouth approach while wearing custom-made attire.
I grew a big beard. He grew a big beard. I talk about everybody, he starts talking about everybody.
"I am familiar with a man named Conor McGregor, I think he copied me in everything he does," Fury told The MMA Hour.
"I was the first trash talker - big time - in these shores, first one in Ireland. Then all of a sudden, he started copying me, this Conor McGregor guy.
"I grew a big beard. He grew a big beard. I talk about everybody, he starts talking about everybody. And it worked for the heavyweight champ of the world. It must work for Conor McGregor, some guy who's like 140 pounds, or whatever he is."
McGregor, in the space of two years, has rocketed to the top of the UFC to win the interim featherweight championship and will attempt to unify the belts against Jose Aldo this weekend.
His braggadocio style, coupled with the fact that he has won all six UFC outings in thunderous style, means Fury is actually a supporter of the man he believes has ripped him off.
"I am a fan of his," Fury insisted. "He's copied my style. I better admire him for it.
"I've never met him, but the guy is a very entertaining character. Conor McGregor got me actually physically watching MMA and wanted to check the results. Because the way he was carrying on, I thought 'this guy has definitely got a bit of myself'. I want to check him out.
"I saw the fight with the [Chad] Mendes guy and I will be watching the Aldo fight because he's got a lot to say, hasn't he?"
Fury has regularly been critical of MMA, dating back to a 2013 challenge to then-UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, despite training closely alongside kickboxing world champion Rico Verhoeven, who is plotting a switch of sports.
Yet he sees McGregor's upcoming fight against Aldo, who is undefeated for 10 years and has been the champion for six, as similar to his own recent title win.
"It's a bit like my fight with Klitschko," he said. "Aldo was the reigning champion for many years, [McGregor]'s a young kid on the block coming up shouting his mouth off. Some people say he's a pretender, some people say he's the real deal.
"Klitschko was the long-reigning champion on the block, I was a guy some people said was a pretender, some people think I can fight, some people think I can't fight.
"So, it's very, very much similar between me and Conor McGregor. I'm living proof that it can be done. I beat Klitschko, he can beat Jose Aldo. Why not? For sure."
