BOXING referee Joe Cortez insists Conor McGregor is a ?gentleman? behind the scenes and that his personality in front of the cameras is just for show.
The legendary boxing ref was brought into the McGregor training camp to help the 29-year-old prepare for his clash with Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
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Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor go face-to-face in their final press conference
Mark Robinson 2 Mark Robinson 2 Top referee Joe Cortez was called in by Conor McGregor to teach him the rules of boxing
What Cortez discovered when he got there and met the UFC superstar was entirely different to what he expected.
The Dubliner can be a divisive character, and some have accused him of racist remarks aimed at Mayweather in the build-up to the scrap at the T-Mobile Arena.
Cortez, 73, told Sporting News: ?I thought it would be difficult to try and teach him the rules on boxing.
?And to my surprise, he picked up on everything so quick. He?s already a champion in MMA. He listens carefully like a good student should. Listens to a trainer.
