Bradley: McGregor ‘lifted me off my feet with his right hand’
Bradley says he was brought into McGregor’s camp after being recommended by Conor Wallace, the Northern Irish amateur boxer who was called upon to help McGregor prepare for his rematch with Nate Diaz. Wallace’s recommended Bradley’s because he is replicate the Mayweather style. Bradley:
People laugh when they hear me saying I can replicate Mayweather. I guess nobody can move like Floyd, but I’ve been studying everything about the guy for the last 13 years. I know what way he moves and I know how he moves into his punches. I know how he reacts to getting hit. I feel like I’m able to bring that in to help Conor as he prepares for this fight. When I’m competing, I don’t necessarily use Mayweather’s style, but I definitely use some of his tools. The step-back right hand and check left hook are two techniques I use a lot. And of course, I use some of his defensive tactics to stop me getting hit.
On McGregor’s boxing ability:
Conor is a very good boxer. He doesn’t move like any other boxer. He’s powerful, fast and light on his feet … He’s very good at getting in and out and connecting. He’s so quick on his feet it’s very hard to judge the distance with him. He’s so fast and unpredictable — that’s a very dangerous combination. I don’t think Mayweather has ever boxed anyone like that. He has this strange style and he can keep going at a serious pace for 12 rounds. He’s on his toes and he’s constantly keeping you guessing…I’ve got a black eye at the moment and I got that from him when he was wearing 16-ounce gloves. I don’t know if you’ve seen the photo that he uploaded onto his Instagram after our session. People are talking about his left hand and whether the power will be there with 10-ounce gloves — he lifted me off my feet with a right uppercut in 16 (ounce gloves)! That shot came out of nowhere. It was so fast and powerful. I can tell you now that those kinds of shots would drop boxers, and that was his right hand…I know he’ll give Floyd a hard fight. This will not be a walkover. I really think whoever puts more into their camp will win it. I know that Conor is putting in the work and that his confidence is through the roof. He’s going to be ready when fight night comes around.
Malignaggi: Mayweather will fight McGregor ‘very aggressively’
Malignaggi says that he will will be part of the US leg of his training.
I was a little bit surprised, but at the same time it’s something exciting. You don’t have to make the wait. It’s cool…I look forward to having a healthy training camp with Conor. I was contacted for sparring…probably a little bit of my boxing knowledge, tactical knowledge… I have a speed boxing style. I was more of a speedster. While it’s almost impossible to mimic [Mayweather’s] style, you spar with guys who have fast hands and get used to the speed. They were looking for guys with speed and that counterpunching fast style.
He also talks about Mayweather;s strategy.
The trick to Mayweather is…Mayweather will adjust to you..If you come in with some sort of success in the early rounds. You have to be prepared to be able to be like Bruce Lee, to be ‘like water’ and to adjust. Because Mayweather will adjust and give you that right back…I don’t think Conor will have enough time to have a distinct game plan. He will have to figure out these three or four key weapons in his arsenal to use them, disguise them in various ways, to use them against Mayweather…Conor is best at range, so if he tries to become a rugged physical fighter, how much is it going to work? But does McGregor even know enough to hide the dirty stuff? Conor has good speed and good timing, he has to work on variations…If I had to predict to you…I think Floyd will fight this fight very aggressively. There’s a mean streak in Floyd. He may start taking it to him and getting aggresive.
https://youtu.be/HVZpqKrmD1E
McGregor to Mayweather: ‘You are in quicksand’
McGregor responds to Mayweather’s video where he practices on the double end bag.
You are in quicksand.
You are in quicksand.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 29, 2017
Frampton: Fight is good for boxing – unless McGregor wins
Frampton talks about the McGregor-Mayweather fight:
I don’t think that the fight is bad for boxing. I think that if McGregor wins, then that’s bad for boxing. I don’t think he will. It’s an event – go and see it – it gets people talking about boxing. How can it be bad for boxing? You look at what’s happening now – It’s almost like any show that’s half decent has to be on pay-per-view, and you have to pay extra money to watch it… But I think this event – Mayweather and McGregor – it can’t be anything but good for boxing, unless Mcgregor wins, and then it’s bad because we all look like mugs.
Minette says he wants to see less Clay in Season 2
Minnette says he wants to see less Clay in Season 2.
Everyone really loves each other and it really is a family now at this point. I want to see other people do more on the show. I want to see more stories from the other characters. Clay can take a seat on the sidelines.
Espinoza: McGregor can win with Superman punch
Espinoza, the executive vice president of Showtime Sports, talks about the possibility of seeing a Superman punch by McGregor, an MMA technique that is legal in boxing against Mayweather.
That’s well within the rules. A back fist probably wouldn’t be, but there is a lot of different things that can be thrown to throw off timing. I can guarantee Floyd has never seen someone coming and throwing a Superman punch.
White: McGregor wants to fight Nurmagomedov in Russia
White says McGregor has told him that following the Mayweather fight, he wants to face Khabib Nurmagomedov — in Russia, which would make it the first UFC fight held there.
You know what Conor told me? ‘I want Khabib in Russia.’ Isn’t he f-cking awesome?…Conor McGregor is a f-cking unicorn. There’s nothing like him. He’s working on boxing Floyd Mayweather and then he’s talking about fighting Khabib in Russia right after…Those are the kind of things that make that kid a f-cking superstar. I’ve got guys telling me, ‘I don’t want to shit – I don’t want to fight this guy, and I don’t want to do this.’ [McGregor says], ‘I want Floyd Mayweather then I want f-cking Khabib in Russia.’ How do you not love him? How do you not love Conor McGregor? Amazing.
Woodley: Mayweather said ‘Conor’s gonna be pissed when he finds out how much money I’m making’
Woodley talks about spending time with Mayweather at the Maxim 100 party, where Mayweather praised him as ‘the best fighter in the UFC’.
We were just talking about the fight with him and Conor. We did a video. And I said, ‘Conor’s gonna loooove me after this video!’…He sees what I’m doing. He said to me, ‘I’ve been watching your highlights, you got crazy hands, you knocking people out, I can show you one or two thing; how you can never get hit again in the Octagon’…Floyd is really down to earth. The thing I notice about him is that he is in a setting like that, he’s trying to make sure every person is ok…I haven’t really hung out about Conor McGregor…Tell me? My ‘UFC brother’ has he hung around with me…I’m not saying I’m going against boxing versus UFC. I respect Conor, he’s the boss. He made a crazy move. He’s gonna get paid. I respect him, but that don’t mean he’s gonna be coming to my kid’s birthday party.
When asked if Mayweather said who would win the fight:
He said. ‘Conor’s gonna be pissed when he finds out how much money I’m making.’
Conlan still hoping for place on McGregor-Mayweather undercard
While preparing for his third professional boxing bout this weekend in Australia on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn bout, Conlan says he is still hoping to get on the McGregor-Mayweather undercard.
[Floyd]’s never going to win a talking shit match with Conor McGregor. Conor McGregor is on a different level when it comes to that — and that affects people. It’s hard to see how it goes because Floyd is almost unbeatable, well he has been unbeatable. Conor is Conor, so he’s going to come out and give it his all. I’m excited, I wished him good luck. I asked him to try and get me on the show but I haven’t heard back, so I don’t think it’s going to happen.
Kavanagh to object if Bayless gets to referee McGregor-Mayweather
In a Q&A on boards.ie, Kavanagh fields several fan questions about the McGregor-Mayweather fight, and says he will object if Nevada State Athletic Commission appoint Bayless to referee the bout.
Yes, I’ll be objecting to that.
Bayless, who is one of the most high profile boxing referees in Nevada, has officiated several Mayweather bouts in the past and has said that he would not want to see such a fight:
I wouldn’t want to see it. It’s two different sports.
Kavanagh has previously proposed that Marc Goddard would be the ideal man for the job.
I think Marc Goddard should be the referee. We’re already agreeing to boxing rules, boxing fight, boxing ring — everything is done boxing. So, how about an MMA referee that will understand the inside fighting that will go into this fight?
Pacquiao: McGregor-Mayweather will be ‘boring’
Pacquiao, who is currently preparing for his WBO welterweight championship fight against Jeff Horn, says the McGregor-Mayweather fight will be ‘boring,’ and that he will be watching the ‘real’ boxing match between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.
McGregor has no chance in this fight. In fact, it could be very boring. There is no way he will be able to land a meaningful punch on Floyd. How could he? He has no professional experience in boxing. The real fight and the best fight is Golovkin versus Canelo. The best versus the best. That’s the fight I will be watching.
He also says he is interested in a rematch with Mayweather if he beats Horn.
If there’s a chance, why not? I’m willing. I know my body. I’m ready. I’m not underestimating [Horn]. I’m not taking him lightly. I’m working hard.
McGregor team ask Malignaggi to spar
Malignaggi says McGregor’s team have asked him to spar with Conor in his prep to fight Mayweather.
I did get called to go to camp with McGregor… so I started working out a little bit. I’m working on the details. If it’s something that’s gonna be feasible, it’ll be cool, ’cause I think I’ll have some inside stuff to talk about on fight night. It’s interesting that they called me… I’ve announced my retirement [and] I did call him out [when he got his boxing license]. I think that shows the competitive spirit and the willingness to learn. It shows you how hungry he is, he put that pride aside. It makes me respect him a little bit more.
https://youtu.be/rX6h_k2dG9E
Kavanagh: ‘Crazy’ not to have Taylor, Conlan on undercard
Kavanagh says he would like to see both Taylor and Conlan on the undercard of McGregor-Mayweather.
I’ve seen a lot of speculation and I think it would be crazy of the promoters not to put on the likes of Katie Taylor and Michael Conlan…That just seems like a no brainer to me. Why wouldn’t you have a big America vs Ireland? It would generate such interest.
Cormier: McGregor ‘the greatest promoter of all time’
Cormier talks about McGregor’s gift for promotion.
That’s why I say he’s the greatest promoter of all-time…This guy, he managed to get Floyd Mayweather to fight him. There are boxers in the world right now that are much more deserving of that mega-fight, in terms of credentials, but they could never get Floyd’s attention to make Floyd listen. Conor did that…Floyd’s always been the guy to have to carry the promotion every time he fought. And this time, I know he won’t because he knows that if he does his part, (and) Conor does his part, but if he wanted to, he could take a backseat. He doesn’t have to do it. He could sit back and let Conor do it, and they would still do massive numbers.
Guerrero: It doesn’t matter if McGregor’s a southpaw, Mayweather’s too quick
Guerrero, a southpaw who was beaten by Mayweather in May 2013, says Mayweather’s speed and quickness is not apparent on video.
Being a fight fan myself and watching MMA fights, I don’t think there is anybody nearly as fast as Floyd Mayweather in that sport. That’s a problem with everybody who gets in with Floyd Mayweather, dealing with his speed. From the outside looking in, it doesn’t look as fast as it is when he’s right in front of you. And Floyd’s reaction time, wow, it’s just beyond anything you might imagine. Look at myself being a lefty, Manny Pacquiao being probably the fastest lefty out there, we had great trouble dealing with Floyd’s speed. Most of his shots are reaction. He sees what you’re doing and he knows what you’re trying to do and when you take that step, his reactions are so quick that – Bam! – he catches you. That is so hard to deal with.
Guerrero also says Mayweather is able to tire opponents out because he makes them swing and miss more than most boxers.
Definitely, it’s less energy to land a punch than to miss a shot. When you slip a shot, that’s so important, because A) you’re not being hit, but B) it’s more tiring than it is to land something. I tell the young kids I work with, shadow boxing eight, nine or 10 rounds is tougher than hitting the bag. … Missing just takes so much out of you, and then a guy like Floyd, not only does he make you miss a lot of shots, but he’s countering you every time you miss a shot, picking and poking at you. It drains you and it starts to frustrate you.
Lee: McGregor is on the decline
While describing how he could take down the best MMA fighters, Lee says that McGregor’s powers are sliding.
I think honestly he’ll be on the decline when he comes back[after the Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight]. He’s been on the decline for a minute. I think he’ll be on the decline, even more, when he comes back. His skill set is starting to stagnate. You just put the pressure on him. Keep the pressure on him. He’s too small to hang with us 55’ers. Guys like me and Chiesa, a lot of these guys I fought, you know? Francisco Trinaldo is bigger than me, you know what I mean? Right now I’m sitting here at 185, 189 pounds. I think you put the pressure on him and take him down, and he’s out of his world. He’s gonna sit there and lose guard. Come on.
Hopkins: Let fans watch McGregor-Mayweather for free
During promotion for September’s middleweight fight between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin, Hopkins proposes that fans get into the McGregor-Mayweather fight for free.
If you want to talk about a spectacle, a show, by all means spend $4,000-$5,000 on a ticket. Maybe they will give it to you for free and make a real statement of jealousy….Hold up, I’ve got a proposal. If this is so great and so good, and we know McGregor – I’m not his accountant but I’m pretty sure he don’t have to go out and put a sign in his hand and ask somebody to give him some money for food. And Mayweather, whose name is Money. How can your name be Money when you don’t have any? Give it to the fans free! You’re lights ain’t going to go off tomorrow. God knows they’re not going to take your car away – you’ve got 20 of them, right? So if you really want to box for the love of boxing, then I’ll tell you what to do. You want to make a big statement Dana White? Give it to them free.
However, when discussing Alvarez-Golovkin:
A fight and a boxing match of this magnitude in September, we know you have to pay for. You pay for what you get. Watch a real fight!
Families blame 13RW for teen daughters’ suicides
Two California families blame 13RW for the recent suicides of their teenage daughters.
The young girls, Bella Herndon and Priscilla Chui — both 15 — took their lives just days after watching the show. The families of the girls, who did not know each other and attended different high schools, say the show had triggered the teens. Both girls hanged themselves. Bella’s mother, Donna, found her dead inside the family home three days before the girl’s 16th birthday. Priscilla’s uncle, Peter Chui, who she was living with, says:
I feel it’s dangerous for that small percentage of young adults who the show can become a trigger for them and I feel as if the show gives only one alternative for cyberbullying and other teenage issues.
Kavanagh confident McGregor will return to MMA
Coach Kavanagh says he is confident that McGregor will return to MMA after his fight with Floyd Mayweather.
I would say the same thing about him taking this fight. It’s not money that’s motivating him any more. He could very easily make similar money from doing some movies or some endorsements. It’s the challenge. That’s why he’s in the gym laughing every day. If he left the gym now and stopped fighting, what would he do with his free time? You can only sit in one car at a time, you can only have one meal at a time. Eventually you want to do something that’s enjoyable to you, and that would be Conor drifting back into the gym…The motivation for this fight was not money — although it’s quite nice to be well paid for what you do — it was the challenge. And to be told again that it is impossible to do what he’s clearly about to do.. Money will not be the reason he will not do MMA again. He’s said very clearly to me ‘Get ready, we’ll be back in the cage in December’.
Coach John Kavanagh is confident Conor McGregor will return to MMA after boxing match with Mayweather. #TheMMAHour https://t.co/hswRoy4crf pic.twitter.com/n8ipyjoK1s
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) June 26, 2017
Kavanagh: McGregor three weeks away from being able to beat Mayweather
On The MMA Hour, Coach Kavanagh says McGregor’s training is proceeding well.
We have two more weeks in Ireland, then the guys will head to Las Vegas. We’ll then have six week in Vegas before the fight, but I watched the session today and said we would be ready in three weeks…We’ve always done best when everybody is just mocking the idea of an unknown Dublin guy saying he’s going to take on the whole UFC roster and win the belt. Those challenges seem to bind us even closer than we already are. I’m really seeing that spirit lit up in the team. It’s always there, but for whatever reason, because we’re being laughed at, because we’re being mocked, it’s making us even stronger.
