Tyson Fury backed Conor McGregor to return to boxing as the Gypsy King attended UFC 246 to watch the Irishman’s MMA comeback.
Fury was in Las Vegas on Saturday night to watch McGregor return to the octagon in a welterweight clash against Donald Cerrone.
The boxer is preparing for his own return to the ring as he faces a rematch against WBC champion Deontay Wilder on February 22.
And in the lead-up to McGregor’s UFC comeback, Fury was asked about the Dubliner’s plans to box again.
McGregor has spoken of a potential rematch against Floyd Mayweather after losing to the ring legend by 10th-round TKO in 2017.
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‘The Notorious’ – who trained as a boxer before moving into mixed martial arts – has also talked up a potential fight against Manny Pacquiao.
“If he wants to be a boxer, if he wants to do boxing, do it,” Fury said of McGregor in an interview with ESPN Radio .
“I thought he’d done quite well against Floyd Mayweather.
“He’d done as good as anybody else has done, really. He was catching Mayweather with some good shots.”
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Fury added: “I think it’s great for boxing and great for combat sports.
“If McGregor fights Pacquiao or Mayweather, it creates a big show in Las Vegas.
“It gives people the opportunity to come out and get involved in the entertainment and action.
“It creates jobs for people. It brings money to Las Vegas, money to America. It brings tourism to the country. I think it’s very, very good for sports in general.”
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“I’d like to see it, because it’s what people want to do with their lives.
“Who am I, who are you or who is anybody to say someone shouldn’t do what they want to do in their life?”
Fury is no stranger to combat sports crossovers, having made forays into wrestling at the back end of last year and spoken of a possible switch to MMA.
Amid talk of a possible match-up between Fury and current UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, the boxer said he plans to speak to UFC president Dana White about a crossover bout but would want special circumstances to be implemented.
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“I don’t want to go into an MMA fight, rolling around the floor and all that, no,” said Fury. “But I would fight one of their champions in small gloves.
“Maybe in a cage, but with boxing rules. I think that would be very interesting. With UFC gloves, the little four-ounce gloves, that would be good for me.
“After I beat Deontay Wilder next month, I’m going to have a sit-down with Dana and we’re going to go for it, run some numbers and see if the fight makes sense.
“Whoever’s available from that side, and whoever’s willing to get their ass kicked in the cage by the heavyweight champion of the world, he’s the one I want.”
