UFC fighter Conor McGregor (left) poses with training partner Artem Lobov and a stack of cash as his tour to promote July’s UFC 189 showdown with Featherweight champion Jose Aldo continues

Muhammad Ali posed for a similar photograph on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1964

Jose Aldo (left) and Conor McGregor face-off for the media and fans at the Strand Theatre in Massachusetts

UFC president Dana White (centre) was forced to to separate the feuding pair on Wednesday

White steps between UFC featherweight champion Aldo and title challenger McGregor

McGregor and Aldo are currently on an eight-city, five-country tour to promote what will be the main bout at UFC 189 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 11.

And they had to be separated by UFC President Dana White when they faced-off at a press call in Boston on Thursday.

Aldo has held the title since 2010 when the UFC merged with the old World Extreme Cagefighting organisation. As the fourth and final featherweight champion of WEC, he carried the belt across.

McGregor certainly let Aldo know that he intends to take his crown and even faked a punch aimed at his Brazilian opponent, who just laughed and gestured that the Irishman was talking too much.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, McGregor said: ‘I expect everyone in the top 10 of the featherweight division to line up and beg for forgiveness, beg to be pardoned!’

The promotional tour has since moved on to New York and Toronto, with plenty more verbal sparring expected before the fight itself in July.

McGregor was the more agitated party as he faked a punch towards Aldo before attempting to force his way past White

The UFC stars pose in front of the media and fans as the build-up continued for July’s bout

McGregor told his news conference on Monday that Aldo was ‘all talk’ and ‘just mouth’ ahead of their bout

Aldo has held the featherweight title since 2010 when UFC merged with the now defunct WEC