Tyson Fury has revealed his admiration for MMA superstar Conor McGregor, describing the Irishman as a "game-changer" in the sport.
The 30-year-old is one of the most recognisable names in UFC, having previously won both the featherweight and lightweight titles.
In 2017, he swapped the Octagon for the boxing ring to fight undefeated champion Floyd Mayweather in a bout that saw the Irishman lose by a tenth-round TKO.
McGregor returned to MMA a year later, only to be defeated by lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in October and handed a ban for the brawl that followed.
The UFC superstar's latest controversy saw him accused of stamping on a fan's mobile phone in Miami, only for the charges to be dropped in May.
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However, former heavyweight champion Fury believes that the Irishman's various troubles shouldn't overshadow his achievements.
"I think Conor has transcended the game of MMA," Fury told Ariel Helwani's MMA Show on ESPN .
"He's set precedents, he's set the game on fire. He's definitely a game-changer in MMA.
"He's crossed over, he's fought Mayweather, he's become a massive superstar and he should definitely be very proud of himself.
"Everybody has troubles in life, and it's not what troubles we have but how we overcome them and learn from them."
Fury is currently preparing to fight American Tom Schwarz in Las Vegas on June 15 after failing to agree a rematch with WBC world champion Deontay Wilder .
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The pair fought to a controversial draw last December, with many considering Wilder fortunate to escape with his world title and unbeaten record intact.
Although Fury is set to face competition from Anthony Joshua to agree a fight with the American, promoter Frank Warren recently voiced his belief that the highly-anticipated rematch will happen.
"That fight will happen, I’m absolutely convinced of it," he told talkSPORT . "I'm sure it’s going to happen early next year.
"I was hoping it would happen by the end of the year but Tyson’s got a commitment on June 15 and then Deontay's got a fight in autumn.
"Hopefully after those two fights, these guys will get it on."
