The near-sexagenarian is lacing up the gloves for the first time, following his son into the world of combat sports.
It’s not often that you see a father follow his son into business. But that’s the route that Tony McGregor appears to be taking. The 59-year-old born in Liverpool, England – to an Irish father and English mother – likely isn’t going to be making any kind of pro career out of combat sports, but he is making his boxing debut at a Charity event on December 15th.
The father of the ‘Notorious’ former UFC champion will put a six-week training camp behind him when he steps into the ring against Off the Ball radio host Eoin Sheahan. Sheahan reportedly called out the elder McGregor on his radio program after seeing some footage of McGregor Sr. in training. It was an offer that McGregor was quick to accept.
“There’s two things I don’t like,” the former taxi driver told Goss.ie, “coinage and being called out.”
Addressing Tony’s quick acceptance of the fight, and news that McGregor had started what he is calling “Camp Apocalypse” to train for it, Sheahan seemed unconcerned about the quick path his words had taken into a real boxing match.
“Pretty chill about it all, to be honest,” Sheahan said on an October episode of Off the Ball. “Camp Apocalypse, Camp A-shmock-alypse. Whatever it may be.”
“I’m born ready, to be honest with you,” he continued, when asked if he too was in training. “I was put on this earth to fight old men like him.”
Step aside Floyd Mayweather and Khabib Nurmagomedov, it appears the McGregor clan has found a new mortal enemy.
While Sheahan was initially apparently unsure of the December 15th date, more recent reports say the match is going ahead on the day. In the meantime, here’s some footage of Tony McGregor as he prepares to follow in his son’s footsteps for the first time: