Boxing king Anthony Joshua has made no secret in the past that he is a big fan of Conor McGregor.
The heavyweight champion, who's currently preparing to make his US debut at Madison Square Garden this Saturday, reckons McGregor's fighting achievements should not be overlooked amid the criticism the Dubliner receives for his antics out of the ring.
Speaking last year, he said: "Let’s not forget where he has come from.
"We are looking at what he has achieved at the peak of his career and he has done so well to navigate himself from ground zero to the top of a combat sport.
"It’s an amazing story. He has some sort of intelligence, determination and hunger.
"There is something in him that meant he refused to be beaten. He seems to be the kind of guy who doesn’t take no for an answer and keeps on pushing and you have to respect someone for that.
"He has done really well for himself and his family and that is all you want to do in life."
And as he prepares to face Andy Ruiz Jr, Joshua has claimed that the garden will be like a home fight for him as his fans travel to New York - using one of the Notorious one's greatest lines to summarise how he feels before the big fight.
He said: " The pressure is on. I've got to go out there and send a message.
"You can come in there as the champion, but that's irrelevant. You've got to go in there and perform every time to always keep that respect as a champion."
He added: "Hello America. We're here. We're here not to take part - to take over."
Also in action in this Saturday's blockbuster card is Ireland's Katie Taylor. The Bray native is aiming to unify all four World Lightweight belts when she faces Belgian Delfine Persoon.
You can follow both Taylor v Persoon and Joshua v Ruiz Jr. on the Irish Mirror's live blog on Saturday evening.
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