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Social media reaction to Conor McGregor's 'I turned him into a Mexican tonight'

Social media reaction to Conor McGregor's 'I turned him into a Mexican tonight'
Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Isaac Brekken
Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, speaks with Conor McGregor after a super welterweight boxing match Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
Social media reaction to Conor McGregor's 'I turned him into a Mexican tonight'
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(KGTV) -- Saturday night’s bout between undefeated Floyd Mayweather and mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor lived up to the hype the two fighters had been building up for months.

It saw hilarious moments, like when Mayweather walked into the ring dressed as the medieval gimp from the movie Pulp Fiction. And there was drama like when it seemed McGregor would resort to wrestling Mayweather down to the canvas with a UFC-style suplex.

It also kept us riveted through ten rounds of entertaining, back-and-forth slugging which left spectators wondering if McGregor, a first-time boxer, would spoil the perfect record of one of the greatest fighters of the modern era.

But the shot felt around the world came out of McGregor’s mouth during a post-fight interview.

“I turned him into a Mexican tonight,” McGregor told ringside reporter Jim Gray, with a broad grin. “He fought like a Mexican.”

READ: Floyd Mayweather defeats Conor McGregor by technical knockout

Initially I thought if by that he meant Mayweather pummeled his head like a piñata, then probably. But during the pre-fight promotion, McGregor made comments with racial undertones which had been disregarded as trash talk.

 

What did he really mean by “turned him into a Mexican?” Gray didn’t follow up with McGregor to clarify his remark, so, fans were left with sorting it out in the Twitterverse.

Tweets from fans of both fighters quickly spun from celebration and respect to confused memes and angry reaction. But several others were quick to point out that McGregor’s comment was actually a nod to Mexico’s strong boxing tradition.

Arizona city councilman Lorenzo Sierra praised the Irish boxer’s comment while also paying tribute to Mexican pride.

“I turned him into a Mexican tonight," @TheNotoriousMMA Great compliment! It means FMJr FOUGHT for & EARNED victory. Like we do every day,” Sierra wrote.

One user pointed out that McGregor’s comment was about the style of boxing. Mexican boxers are more aggressive, as opposed to Mayweather’s defensive style of fighting.

“It means that Mexicans actually box. They don't dance around the ring. They actually fight,” wrote Oscar Hinojosa.

Another Twitter user pleaded for calm. “Dear non-Mexicans getting offended … His comment is a compliment. Some of the greatest boxing in history is from Mexico. #MayweathervMcgregor.”

We don't want to believe McGregor was being racist, but it was an odd time and place to drop a stereotype.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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