'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UFC bantamweight Louis Smolka recently expressed his doubts about whether Conor McGregor would be able to summon enough motivation to beat Dustin Poirier in their upcoming trilogy bout at UFC 264.
Speaking with John Hyon Ko of Sportskeeda, Louis Smolka pointed out that Conor McGregor might have lost the fire in his belly as a result of living a luxurious lifestyle borne out of his immense popularity and wealth. The Hawaii-born fighter quoted boxing legend Marvin Haggler and said:
"It' really hard to wake up wanting to fight when you wake up on silk sheets, you know. I mean most of us, we fight for money, respect, fame, honor, whatever it is. But once you've gotten those things, your reason for fighting is almost like... it's been achieved."
According to the 29-year-old, there's no doubt that the Irishman possesses the talent and skills necessary to get the job done against Poirier. The only question is whether McGregor would be able to stay focused. Louis Smolka added:
"You did what you set out to do, so why would you keep doing it? So, it's hard to tell what McGregor has. Is he gonna find new reasons to keep fighting and reasons to keep pushing himself? It's hard to say."
Check out the exclusive interview with Louis Smolka below:
Conor McGregor vows to 'finish the job'
Conor McGregor will collide with his rival Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 264 on July 10 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. For the third time, 'The Notorious' will square off with 'The Diamond' to settle their rivalry.
Heading into UFC 264, both fighters own TKO wins over the other. Conor McGregor drew first blood at UFC 178 in 2014, but Dustin Poirier returned the favor at UFC 257 earlier this year.
Through an Instagram post, McGregor assured his fans that he would shut the door on his rival once and for all. Known as a bonafide trash talker, McGregor kept his message short, writing:
"25 days I finish the job."
Who is Louis Smolka fighting next?
Louis Smolka is gearing up for a bantamweight showdown against rising star Sean O'Malley at UFC 264. 'Da Last Samurai' and 'Sugar' Sean will kick off the main card of the highly-anticipated pay-per-view event.
For all the latest news, updates, and more from MMA, follow our Facebook page.
