Joseph Duffy won’t pursue Conor McGregor rematch but would love to prove he could beat him again

Most UFC fighters who hold a win over Conor McGregor do not shy away from flaunting the respective victories at any given opportunity, but not Joseph Duffy.

Duffy, who took just 40 seconds to submit McGregor when they first met in 2010, has made no secret of his reluctance to call out his countryman in the past. However, his name was one that was floated by fans following McGregor’s loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov, undoubtedly due to the win he holds over the Dubliner from their fledgling years on the European scene.

Far from being a social impresario, “Irish Joe” admitted that he didn’t see the calls for the rematch following Nurmagomedov’s fourth-round win.

“I didn’t see much, as I said earlier I’m not great with social media, I’m trying to get better, I promise,” Duffy told Eurobash. “It’s something that I need to push because it’s nice being able to chat to your fans, but I definitely find it easier in real life. Sitting with your head stuck in a phone, I can’t bear it.”

Ever since his return to MMA following a 6-0 stint as a professional boxer, Duffy has been inundated with questions about his win over McGregor. A man who prides himself on his respect of his peers, Duffy has no plans on campaigning for a second date with “The Notorious”, but insisted that he would love an opportunity to prove he still has his countryman’s number when it comes to combat.

“There’s always going to be people throwing my name out there [because of our first fight]. For me, it’s just that far in the past…the option is always open. If that happened, I would love it. Croke Park, it’s a dream for anyone; it’s like a Dublin vs. Donegal match for me. It would be a huge fight and I’m pretty sure we would sell out Croke Park no bother, but it’s not something I’m pursuing, I just want to do this my way and I suppose I’ve got to take one fight at a time.

“If that opportunity presents itself, of course I’d love to have that fight again. Look what [McGregor] has gone on to do and obviously I would love to prove that I could beat him again. I’m not going looking for [a rematch]; I’m just focusing on my own thing. I’m not going to be calling him out and all this craic, it’s just not me.”

Duffy, who returns to action against Marc Diakiese in London, fears that a vocal pursuit of a rematch with McGregor could tarnish his legacy.

“I want be able to look back on my career, when I show my kids and my grandkids, and say, ‘This is me, I done it my way and I wasn’t a dose’. I want to be able to look back with pride and not think, ‘Jesus, I can’t even listen to myself’, you know?” he said.

Check out the latest episode of Eurobash. The Joseph Duffy interview begins at 15:40.