Boxing and MMA legends Tyson Fury and Conor McGregor have traded online barbs in a back-and-forth beef sparked by a tweet containing praise for Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The row erupted after Fury praised the undefeated Russian UFC icon in a social media message almost two weeks ago, saying the retired Khabib “did it right” because he “got in and won and got out at the top.”
Taking issue with the tweet 11 days later, bitter Khabib foe McGregor accused world heavyweight champion Fury of chickening out of an altercation in May last year.
This occurred when security clashed with Billy Joe Saunders' father and members of Saunders' corner after the Brit had been finished by Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in a super middleweight title unification clash, with Fury allegedly trying to defuse the row verbally as opposed to getting involved.
"Yup the Joyces. Big Joe!" McGregor started. "[You] bottled it with Billy Joe's Da [father], what were you doing there?"
"[You] left him, Versace t**t. [You].Done. Nothing. You did it right, yeah right," McGregor added before leaving a string of manic hahas.
"Even when I’m wrong I’m right. Who did it right? The Mac Daddy tonight, in [the] house. Miami d12!" McGregor signed off, leaving a Bahamas flag behind in a nod to the Caribbean Isle where he currently holidays on and the hashtag '#skyjuice'.
McGregor was replying to a tweet Fury had initially shared containing a photo of Khabib holding up a Manchester United shirt with his name and the number 7 on it, taken when the Russian visited close friend Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford last year.
"Got in and won and got out on top. Big respect," Fury said of the 29-0 star, while also tagging the figure who stepped away from his sport following an impressive championship defense against Justin Gaethje in October 2020.
Fury spent far less time responding to his fellow Red Devils supporter McGregor, and ordered 'Notorious' to "come back when you win a fight, mush" as per the former two-division champ's recent 1-3 record that includes back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier.
"And the difference [between] me and you is I don't get myself and people actually like me," Fury continued. "You're just a bully who hits old men."
"And yes, Big up the hulk Joe, Morecambe Bay in the house," 'The Gypsy King' finished.
A clash between McGregor and Fury may come as a surprise to many.
Just like he did for Saunders versus Canelo, at a packed-out Cowboys Stadium which received 73,000 punters on Cinco do Mayo weekend, Fury has cheered McGregor on before at events such as UFC 246 where McGregor sealed his last victory in MMA at Donald Cerrone's expense.
McGregor has also complimented Fury in the past by sharing a clip of his "fully committed pad work" and welcoming Fury to the 'Mac Life'.
"Leading the game from all angles," McGregor went on, telling Fury to enjoy Las Vegas prior to knocking out Tom Schwarz in the second round at the gambling capital's MGM Arena in June 2019 and calling Fury the number one heavyweight "of this era".
Furthermore, Fury claimed that McGregor had offered to prepare him for a previously considered crossover to MMA.
"I'm looking forward to coming to train with Conor. We're going to get it all planned in and I should be over in Dublin quite soon," Fury said at the end of 2019.
"I think Conor is an absolutely fantastic fighting man. He has offered to train me if I ever want to go into MMA."
Yet McGregor shut this down by laughing and remarking: "Tyson keeps saying me and him spoke and said I would train him. I never spoke to Tyson in my life, so I don't know why he's saying that."
Considering their spat, then, it seems unlikely that any such offer will materialize if Fury can agree a potential meeting with his UFC heavyweight champion counterpart Francis Ngannou should this take place in the octagon.