Man Punched By Conor McGregor Responds To Being Barred From Pub

A man who was punched by Conor McGregor has responded to being barred from the pub where the assault took place.

The MMA fighter pleaded guilty to the assault on Desmond Keogh in April 2019, which saw him punch the 50-year-old after he declined a shot of whisky.

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McGregor was fined €1,000 (£869), but the 32-year-old has now reportedly forked out somewhere between $2 million and $2.5 million (£1.4m to £1.8m) to buy the Marble Arch in Dublin.

Having secured the pub, he immediately barred Desmond.

It seems Desmond isn't fussed, though.

Speaking to the Irish Mirror, he said: "I'm not really concerned because I probably wouldn't be going back to it now.

"I wouldn't be going back anyway, probably especially now. I wouldn't want to be spending money in his pub to be honest.

"I didn't really make much of it. It's no skin off my nose really. I've a lot of friends there. I probably drank there for about 14 years.

"The fact that he was in the wrong you know why blame me? It seems weird to me. It's disingenuous."

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A friend of Desmond's previously told the Irish Sunday Mirror his mate was 'minding his own business' when McGregor attacked him.

He said: "He was having his pint when McGregor came in and offered everyone a drink of his whiskey.

"Conor insisted he take it and when he refused a second time McGregor wasn't impressed.

"Next thing he punched him in the side of the face. He didn't feel the pain of it at the time but the next day he was in bits. It was a proper hard hit.

"His face was very sore. He was very shaken by the whole thing and didn't leave his house for days."

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Following the incident, McGregor apologised for his actions in an interview with ESPN.

He said: "That man deserved to enjoy his time in the pub without having it end the way it did.

"I tried to make amends and I made amends back then. But it doesn't matter. I was in the wrong. I must come here before you and take accountability and take responsibility."

He went on: "Whatever comes my way, I will face it. Whatever comes my way, I deserve it.

"People are trying to bait me into things. Am I the fish or am I the whale? I must be calm, I must be zen. I must lead by example.

"I will face this head on. I will not hide from it. I was in the wrong. It was completely unacceptable behaviour for a man in my position."

Nothing more zen than buying the pub and barring the man, is there?

Topics: Ireland, Conor Mcgregor, World News, Pubs

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey