The first time Conor McGregor worked out at Celtic Warrior Gym, Paschal Collins - brother of former world middleweight champion Steve - knew the UFC featherweight champion had 'something special'.
McGregor is a regular visitor to the Corduff gym.
Speaking on Newstalk's Off the Ball, Collins told of McGregor's perfectionist streak.
The first day he walked into the gym, I knew there was something special about him. His warm-up, his preparations, his practice sessions.
Everything he did was done to perfection. He was just practice, practice, practice.
It's not fluke that he is where he is today. He's a perfectionist and deserves everything he's got. He just lives for the sport. He's a credit to his country.
Moments after his KO of Jose Aldo, McGregor explained to Joe Rogan that the blow was not decisive due to power, rather, it was about 'precision and timing'.
This, along with a capacity to draw an opponent into a 'dangerzone' are two abilities Collins cites as major weapons in the Dubliner's arsenal.
I'd watch Conor when he comes to the gym. A lot of the time, he's just jump in the ring and warm-up and shadowbox. He'd do it for like an hour. It's like watching somebody dance in there.
The thing that I notice him do is, he'll go from a position where he's offensive to defensive - it's like trying to lull you prey into that danger zone. He'll go into a defensive position with his footwork and then boom, he snaps that left hand over.
I watch him do it and it's perfect.
I said it a long time ago, watching him fight. I thought his boxing skills are what sets him apart from all these other fighters.
Not just his boxing skills, a lot of guys can just go to gyms and do that. He just has that timing. It has a lot to do with how clever he is and how he practices dragging a fighter into that dangerzone without them even realising they're in there. Once he gets them in there - boom - he lets that left hand go.
It's not power. It's like if you swing a hammer. Keep it loose and you can hit hard but if you hold it tight, there's less power in it.
It's perfection when he does it. I wouldn't want to get hit by one of those shots.
Again, Collins specifies McGregor's obsession with perfecting moves as a trait which sets him apart from others.
He can develop into different styles to suit whoever his opponent is. That comes with practice. He would spend more time practicing than training. He wouldn't break a sweat when he comes to the gym but he'd spend two hours practicing, perfecting these moves.
This is why he's so good at what he does. I'd try to instill this in all my fighters. It's about being a perfectionist, it's not about being the fittest guy in the world or the toughest guy in the world. It's about being the best at what you do. That's what he does. That's why he's so great at what he does.
You can listen to the interview with Collins below.
Picture credit: Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE
