Conor McGregor has been keeping an eye on the performances of Ireland's boxers in Rio at the Olympic Games.
The UFC Featherweight Champion has built up a relationship with the boxing's High Performance Unit in recent months. He is currently training with Conor Wallace in Las Vegas ahead of his UFC 202 fight against Nate Diaz.
Great to see @TheNotoriousMMA work in the flesh, quality sparring with @wallaceboxing1 great work!! #DiazMcGregor2 pic.twitter.com/cNK0SHXCQi
— Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) June 15, 2016
Speaking at a media event earlier this week in Las Vegas, McGregor spoke about Ireland's disappointing campaign so far in the ring which has seen Paddy Barnes, Joe Ward and Brendan Irvine all lose their opening bouts. Only Michael Conlan and Katie Taylor remain in with the chance of a medal.
"I've been there in Rio many times and what I was thinking when them fights were taking place, Paddy Barnes, he's a two-time Olympian, two time medallist, and he was defeated in the opening round. He was talking about his weight and he felt fatigued in there and I was thinking in my head, 'they went out too late.'
Brazil is an intense climate. Why do you think I'm out here eight weeks prior? This is desert air out here; it's completely different. You go from beautiful Ireland into these type of environments, it affects your preparation, it affects your breathing, your performance. That is an issue that, maybe, they left it too late. We've been doing good. I still think we're going to medal.
Despite McGregor's opinion of the boxers, the team were one of the first Irish groups to travel to Brazil. The group left Dublin two-and-a-half weeks before the Opening Ceremony.
It certainly is an interesting theory from McGregor about what has happened the boxers.
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