Holloway backs himself to outbox McGregor at UFC 329 after five-year absence

Max Holloway has doubled down on his claim to be the UFC’s finest boxer as his rematch with Conor McGregor at UFC 329 draws closer, with the Hawaiian insisting July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will serve as proof.

McGregor is returning to the Octagon for the first time in five years, and Holloway — a former featherweight champion and BMF titleholder — is relishing the opportunity to settle the striking debate against one of the sport’s most celebrated punchers.

“I’m the best boxer in the UFC and you guys get to find out come July 11,” Holloway told New York Post Sports. “He got to share the Octagon with another legend, and I can’t wait to go out there and show you guys what’s up.”

The matchup carries a natural narrative thread through McGregor’s 2017 professional boxing crossover against Floyd Mayweather Jr. When asked about that bout, Holloway was measured in his assessment of his opponent’s performance — before landing the sharpest line of the interview.

“I think he did well, a lot of people think that Floyd was carrying him, but if he was, if he wasn’t, I think he did well, man. He’s a really good boxer, but unfortunately, he got to see me,” Holloway said.

Holloway is widely regarded as one of the most technically complete strikers in MMA history, built on relentless forward pressure, elite cardio, precise distance management, and high-volume output. McGregor, by contrast, has built his reputation on timing and left-hand power — qualities that carried him to two UFC titles at featherweight and lightweight.

The two men first met inside the Octagon in 2013, with McGregor winning by unanimous decision. More than a decade on, both fighters arrive at UFC 329 with significantly different résumés and a combined legacy that makes the rematch one of the most anticipated bouts of the year.