Vincent Hogan and Tony Leen joined Joe Molloy for Off the Ball's Sunday Paper Review.
With the looming fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor fast approaching, the discussion turned to the Dubliner's antics in the lead up to the bout.
"I find it incredible that people are struggling so much or are conflicted over the McGregor story," said Hogan, adding: "I still believe there's a fundamental generational thing going on here.
"I certainly think people of my generation are not comfortable with the way McGregor conducts himself. What's different about this is that it's a mainstream sport. It's not for a belt. It's against a guy who's two years retired. There is the sense of a circus about this. But whether you look it or not, this is a guy who five years ago was collecting the dole in Lucan post office and he is now a global star.
"Whether he's a global sports star or a star of the entertainment industry is there to be questioned but it is a remarkable achievement on his behalf.
"Again, whether we like it or not, the bulk of that achievement in my view, is in the persona he has created because it's the persona, make no mistake, that is making him all this money and it's young fellas, like my 20-year-old son, who just find his personalty addictive.
Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor are separated by UFC President Dana White. Image: ©INPHO/Tom Hogan
"And I've said this already that my son is a normal, balanced young fella. He's 20 years old, he plays hurling, mad Liverpool fan and he and his friends adore McGregor.
"I asked him recently, I said 'ok you can have lunch with McGregor or Jurgen Klopp and what's it going to be?' and he thought about it and his answer was 'Klopp' - because I'd love to ask Klopp questions and get his answers but with McGregor it will be just craic'. And I think that sums it up.
"They see what he is doing as craic. We see it as repugnant and I'm very uncomfortable with him finding it craic - that he can behave in such a nakedly racist way, in such a nakedly unpleasant way and my son, who I like to think is a nice, young balanced kid, finds it entertaining.
"Somewhere there is that kind of grey area between entertainment and a perception of what he's doing as being entertaining and in a world that is a very, very hairy dangerous place and I see a quote in one of the papers this morning where Mayweather says 'he's doing this for all black people everywhere'."
The full discussion can be heard here:
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