Conor McGregor sparred pal Cian Cowley in first session back after horror injury

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McGregor and Cowley have been friends and training partners for years, and took to the ring on Wednesday for the UFC legend’s first sparring session since breaking his leg last July

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Cian Cowley opens up about Conor McGregor’s first spar back

Conor McGregor sparred close friend and MMA fighter Cian Cowley when he returned to the ring for his first full-contact session since his horror leg break 278 days prior.

McGregor and Cowley boxed “a few rounds” at the Crumlin Boxing Club in Dublin, where the pair are both known to train alongside their MMA work at SBG Ireland. The former two-weight UFC world champion had returned to hitting pads in boxing sessions earlier this year, but was allowed to take on a full spar this week.

Watched on by members of the famous Dublin gym, the pair sparred for a short session. Photos were later posted to McGregor’s Instagram page with the caption “my first spar”.

And speaking with Mirror Fighting after an exhibition bout at Crumlin Boxing Club’s annual Good Friday Show, Cowley expressed that McGregor was like he had never stopped training when the pair stepped into the ring.

Cowley recently won his return to the MMA cage against Alexandru Balaur in Romania. And earlier this week he was preparing himself for a three-rounder with Muay-Thai fighter Conor O’Flaherty on the 30th anniversary of the club’s Easter show; their first in three years.

“He was in with me, we just had a few rounds,” Cowley said of the famous spar. “Conor’s always training like that. People go on like ‘he’s back’, he never left and he’s always training.

“Just because you don’t see it on the internet doesn’t mean he’s not training – it didn’t shock me at all, it’s Conor McGregor, like. Everyone knows, real fighters know a real fighter when they see one so it doesn’t shock me, it doesn’t surprise me. The fella is an animal and it’s an honour to train with him.”

And Cowley believes that only a fool would write off McGregor’s chances should he get the comeback fight of his choice against welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. The Irishman would be a monstrous underdog against the seemingly unbeatable Nigerian, but that hasn’t stopped him angling for an historic world title fight at a third weight.

“Never write Conor off,” Cowley declared. “Worst mistake ever is writing Conor McGregor off, that’s the truth.”

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For Cowley’s own career, after stopping a four-fight slide with a win over Balaur, he is hoping to return to the cage next month should an opportunity arise and fight again during the summer. He was forced out of action for sixteen-months by coronavirus restrictions and then a neck injury, and will look to add a second win of the year to his record after a second round TKO.

He has turned down offers from promotions in other sports, promising to focus on MMA. He will continue to hone his skills in the boxing club and his own Warriors Thai Boxing Gym in Dublin, but is dedicated to becoming a top mixed martial artist.

“I’d like to get out before the summer hopefully,” he added. “I don’t know when the fight will be but I’m prepared, I’m training. I’ll be back training in the morning, whatever comes up I’d like to get out in May and ideally have had four or five fights by the end of the year.

“I know we all say that, but I had a bad injury on my neck, I didn’t know if when I would fight again. But I got the all-clear and went straight back in. Now I just want to rack up wins.”