Getty Tony McGregor, Conor McGregor's father, on August 26 in Las Vegas.
Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor will have his parents rooting for him when he takes on boxer Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas. He is the son of Tony and Margaret McGregor, who have been married for over 36 years. McGregor also has two older sisters, Erin and Aofie.
McGregor grew up in a working-class family and Tony insists that his son’s fame has not changed the family, even as his son showers them with gifts.
“It’s phenomenal, but it hasn’t changed us,” Tony told the Irish Independent. “Conor has a very generous nature, which he gets from his mother, and we realise that we’re very lucky.”
You can follow Tony McGregor on Instagram.
Here’s what you need to know about Tony and Margaret McGregor.
1. Tony & Margaret Have Been Married for Over 36 Years
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The 57-year-old Tony McGregor was born in Liverpool to an Irish father and English mother. In an extensive interview with the Irish Independent last year, Tony said his father was a petty officer in the British Merchant Navy who was often away for months at a time. When he was 8 years old, Tony’s mother left him, his brother Stephen and sister Pamela in Liverpool after meeting another man. His father, who died 13 years ago, got custody and when he was away, Tony and his siblings were raised by his aunts.
“When my dad was on leave, he would come over to visit, and we would all stay together in one house and pick up where we left off,” Tony said. “He chose that life of adventure, so he would tell us all the tales of where he had been. He was a very generous man, and we would never be short when he came home.”
Tony never finished school. He went to Ringsend Tech and left at 16, beginning his career as a mechanic’s apprentice. That only lasted a year before he got a job at a factory and a taxi license.
In their early teens, Tony and Margaret met while walking to school. At 16, they started their romantic relationship and married at 21. They’ve been married for over 36 years now and raised their family in Dublin.
“It was her looks that attracted me as she wasn’t a bad-looking bird,” Tony told the Irish Independent. “Margaret was beautiful and she still is. We got married at 21, 36 years ago this year. She’s a very generous woman and a good listener and she has great qualities.”
McGregor’s older sisters are 36-year-old Erin and 31-year-old Aofie. Erin is a hairdresser who has a daughter and son. Aofie married her husband in December 2016.
2. Margaret Says She’s ‘Extremely Proud’ of Her Son & Calls Him a ‘Mummy’s Boy’
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Margaret McGregor is often seen cheering on Conor with her husband. As she told the Irish Mirror before the McGregor-Mayweather fight, she is very proud of her son.
“I think he gives a lot of people hope. He is everything you see, but he’s still honest and says it how it is. I’m extremely proud of him. He is a mummy’s boy,” she told the paper. “He’d probably kill me for saying that but he is.”
Erin also told the Mirror that she’s very proud of her younger brother because he’s always true to himself. “As an older sister to watch your younger brother succeed in his dreams, the word proud doesn’t do it justice. I love the fact he stays true to himself,” she said.
Like her husband, Margaret also has an Instagram account, where she chronicles her travels and posts adorable photos of McGregor’s son with girlfriend Dee Devlin, Conor Jack McGregor Jr.
3. Tony Says His Son Isn’t Racist, Despite Conor’s Comments During Press Conferences About Mayweather
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During press conferences before the fight with Mayweather, McGregor made some eyebrow-raising remarks that ended up led to accusations of racism. During a July press conference, McGregor taunted Mayweather with “Dance for me, boy!” Then during a another press conference, he said he was “half black from the bellybutton down.”
Tony defended his son on The MMA Hour, saying McGregor is not racist.
“This fight is not about race. The colour of skin is immaterial. This fight is about skill and technique. Conor McGregor is unequivocally not racist,” Tony said.
The suit
Tony also told The MMA Hour that he constantly communicates with his son through text message. He recently told his son that his mother “loves the suits,” referring to the “F**k you” suit.
“I’m talking about the F-You suit, of course. We text him all the time. As parents, we always prefer suits. I’d like to think he got something from me. He didn’t get his fighting prowess off me, so maybe he got his style off me,” Tony said.
4. Tony Says His Son Was Born With His ‘Fists Clenched,’ but He Couldn’t Predict Conor’s UFC Success
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In his interview with the Irish Independent, Tony said he didn’t think his son would become a UFC star. However, the midwife predicted McGregor would become a boxer since he was born with his fists clenched.
“His fists were clenched coming out of the womb so he was ready to fight,” Tony told the Irish Independent. “The midwife said, ‘This fella is going to be a boxer.’ It was an easy birth as Margaret was only in labour for an hour, so Conor was in a hurry to make himself known.”
But when asked if he could predict his son’s success at UFC MMA fighting, he said he “never” could have predicted it.
“It could have been a train coming out of a tunnel, but I didn’t see it whatsoever,” Tony said. “I didn’t approve of Conor’s job choice initially, because I just couldn’t see the career in it, but I’m bang on board now and have been since well before the UFC. He was able to prove me wrong, which has made me so proud.”
The 29-year-old McGregor has a 21-3 UFC record and holds the Champion Lightweight title. His fight with Mayweather is his first fight since he beat Eddie Alvarez for the Lightweight Championship in November 2016. This will be his first-ever professional boxing match.
5. Tony Got a Photo With Kanye West When the Rapper Watched Conor Beat Nate Diaz in 2016 in Las Vegas
Tony once got a photo with Kanye West. When McGregor fought Nate Diaz in Las Vegas on August 20, 2016 and won, the rapper was in the audience. other celebrities at that match included singer Niall Horan, chef Gordon Ramsay and former boxer Mike Tyson. Tony’s photo with West was posted on Instagram by Erin McGregor.
After the fight, USA Today notes that West and a hobbling McGregor met. He called out “Pablo,” referring to West’s 2016 album The Life of Pablo.