Khabib is a MMA fighter to and can fight another raw grapplers in grappling.
Conor is a boxer-striker in MMA but he cant compete with raw boxers in boxing.
i think its interesting.
Khabib can compete with elite level grapplers because he is himself an elite level grappler.
Khabib can compete in mma because grappling is a major part of being able to dictate where the fight takes place, so he takes people to his world.
Conor on the other hand is not an elite level striker or grappler.
Conor has a fairly well rounded striking arsenal, he has great timing, he is fast and has decent power. This translates well when fighting inferior strikers which lets be honest is most of MMA, because they have grappling to fall back on.
This is why Conor could never do well in pure striking, he is not an elite striker, he is decent at all aspects of striking not great at any.
Any decent boxer or kickboxer would likely clown Conor in pure striking contest. Floyd carried him Conor did not do well in that fight he was never in danger and Floyd bet a huge amount on himself to finish conor in the rd he did.