Conor McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh has discussed the Irish mixed martial arts star’s chances of stepping in to face Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 later this month.
The event, scheduled for 18 April, had planned to finally pit Ferguson against long-term rival and UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
However, Khabib opted to fly back to his native Russia in the build-up to the fight and is now unable to compete due to travel restrictions in place amid the coronavirus outbreak.
UFC planners have been scrambling to resurrect the main bout of the event – which is yet to have a location set – and it was rumoured that McGregor might step in to face Ferguson.
(Image: Getty Images)
However, Kavanagh has rubbished these claims, telling ESPN on Friday via Instagram Live: “No chance of that (McGregor fighting). Ireland is on a pretty strict lockdown (due to coronavirus).
“Me and Conor have no physical interactions. There’s no physical interaction at the gym. Gyms are shut down.”
Former featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor is renowned for fighting at short notice, but Kavanagh believes taking on someone of Ferguson’s experience with just two weeks to prepare would not be wise.
“To try and rush that together, I just don’t think it would be smart,” he added. “He certainly isn’t fighting so that he has food for the next six months. That’s not where he is in his life.”
(Image: X02835)
McGregor last fought in January, when he beat Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone via first-round technical knock out in a welterweight bout.
And while the 31-year-old is in no hurry to return to the Octagon, number four-ranked lightweight Justin Gaethje has emerged as a likely opponent for his next fight.
“[Gaethje] was certainly one of the ones that was being talked about,” Kavanagh said. “That was right up there.”
