Dustin Poirier’s coach says The Diamond will ‘hurt’ and ‘put away’ Conor McGregor in UFC 257 rematch on Fight Island
DUSTIN POIRIER will shock the world this weekend by putting away Conor McGregor in their eagerly-anticipated rematch.
The American’s boxing coach, Dyah Davis, reckons it’ll be McGregor who will be on the receiving end of a devastating defeat this weekend.
The former featherweight rivals will throw down on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi.
Poirier, 32, suffered a brutal first-round KO loss to the former two-division champion six years ago at UFC 178, a defeat which prompted him to move up in weight.
But Davis sees this one going differently.
After telling The Notorious to ‘get a good look’ at his ‘conquerer’ from his front-row seat at the UFC 257 press conference, Davis told SunSport: “Technically, he’s a much better fighter.
“Obviously, you see he’s stopping guys… he’s putting guys away.
“Dustin is a finisher. If he gets a guy hurt, he’s putting guys away.
“And I don’t see anything different come Saturday night.”
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Poirier has come on leaps and bounds since that setback to McGregor, winning ten of his last 13 and going on to claim the interim lightweight title.
Davis has been present every step of the way and insists Poirier is not the same man McGregor bettered all those years ago
Davis, the son of boxing great Howard Davis Jr, said: “Training has been excellent. Psychologically, Dustin is a much better person.
“The fight was six years ago. I think by the time they get into the octagon it’ll be seven years.
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“But he’s so much better all the way around. He’s improved as a fighter all around.”
The heavy-handed and ferocious Poirier has finished six of his last 13 opponents by way KO or TKO, including former world champions Anthony Pettis, Justin Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez.
And the American Top Team coach Davis fully expects The Diamond to add McGregor’s name to that list.
He said: “Once we hurt Conor, the fight is over. He’s going to put him away.”
Poirier vs McGregor 2 will close out the UFC’s first pay-per-view event of 2021 and will be the final bout of the promotion’s third ‘Fight Island’ stint on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island.