McGregor: ‘F-ck Floyd Mayweather’
McGregor talks about the Conlan fight:
Clean work. As he goes on he’ll get more comfortable under that pressure. It’s a different bubble in there, when you feel that kind of intensity. It was beautiful. Once he got loose, got the stoppage. Very, very happy with it. I wish him all the success in the future. We know the skills he has. Everybody knows how talented he is. He came through his first test. He’ll only grow and rise from it.
And hints that the Mayweather fight, which he says is close to signing, will not be in June:
F-ck Floyd. This whole boxing world don’t know what they’re gonna see when I roll in here. I’m unpredictable. Nobody knows what they’re in for. Everyone’s writing me off. There’s gonna be a shock. I’m ready. I’m looking forward. I’m excited. We’re very close to inking it. [Interviewer: For June?] No, well listen. I’m not gonna say no more. We’re very close, that’s it.
McGregor congratulates Conlan on win
McGregor congratulates Conlan after his third-round victory over Tim Ibarra. When asked if he will be seen in a boxing ring soon:
100%, we are very close…yeah we’re working on it but tonight is about Michael Conlan.
Michael Conlan wins by TKO in round 3 after a dominant display! @mickconlan11 @TheNotoriousMMA #ConlanIbarra 🥊 pic.twitter.com/jW8VsqNrfw
— Love Belfast ❤️ (@love_belfast) March 18, 2017
McGregor gives words of advice to Conlan
McGregor gives some words of advice to Conlan before his professional debut at Madison Square Garden.
It’s your night. There’s a lot of people out there, great energy. Stay calm in it. Feed off of it but don’t overfeed off of it. You know this. You’ve been doing this a long f-cking time. Go out and enjoy yourself out there.
White: ‘I’d never keep Conor from making that kind of money’
White talks about McGregor’s options.
I don’t know [when he will go back to the Octagon]. He obviously has a lot of opportunities right now. Tony Ferguson’s out there. The Floyd Mayweather thing is out there. We’ll see how this thing plays out. [Floyd Mayweather] is still a possibility. It doesn’t make a lot of sense for my business, but I’d never keep Conor from making that kind of money. [The T-Mobile booking] has nothing to do with the Floyd fight. [Conor’s next fight in the UFC is going to be for the 155 pound title]. That’s what it should be.
White believes McGregor-Mayweather will happen
During an appearance on Conan, White tells O’Brien that he believes the fight between McGregor and Mayweather will go ahead.
I do think it’s gonna happen. I think it’s going to be a tough deal, because obviously [there are] a lot of egos involved in this deal and a lot of people, so that always makes it tougher. On the flip side, there’s so much money involved. I just don’t see how it doesn’t happen…It would be boxing. No kicking, no elbows, just straight-up boxing, in a boxing ring with gloves and the whole deal. A lot of things make this fight intriguing but the reality is this — anybody who has ever seen Floyd Mayweather, he’s this big (motioning at his small size). Conor McGregor is huge. He’s 27 years old, he’s in the prime of his career. Floyd is 40. Floyd always had problems with southpaws, Conor is a southpaw and Conor hits hard. When Conor hits people, they go. Floyd’s definitely not knocking him out, that’s for sure. I’m not saying that Conor would win this boxing match but it sure makes it interesting.
Macklin: McGregor has ‘woken the sleeping giant’ of Irish fans
At a press conference for Michael Conlan, Macklin says McGregor has built up huge support with Irish fans.
The real star, the guy who’s really woken up the sleeping giant that is Irish fight fans, is Conor McGregor. Not a boxer, he’s an MMA guy. He has really shot to superstardom. He is the biggest star in combat sports. And Conor will be carrying out the Irish flag for Michael.
"For a long time, Irish fight fans have been a sleeping giant. They've been woken by @TheNotoriousMMA." – @mattmacklin. #TheConlanRevolution pic.twitter.com/tszJmHzsQF
— eir Sport (@eirSport) March 15, 2017
Bisping: Mayweather returning to boxing after being scammed
Bisping says Mayweather was prompted to return to the ring because he was the victim of a scam.
I was talking to someone in Las Vegas, and I heard that Floyd recently got scammed out of a lot of money. The number was very, very big. I don’t think Floyd needs the money, but he wants to replace this money that he got swindled out of…My bet is that the fight will happen. Will it happen in June? I don’t know, that might be a bit too soon.
Conlan: ‘I would love to carry the tricolour’ for McGregor against Mayweather
In an interview Conlan talks about his upcoming fight in New York, and McGregor.
Irish fans are the best fans in the world. I’m getting 200 people coming from Ireland, more maybe. That’s just a rough estimate. I’m very, very grateful and honored to have them out here…I’ve known Conor since 2015. Ireland’s a small country: there’s eight million people in New York, and four million in Ireland so it’s a small place and we stick together…We talked and we started to grow our friendship. After the Diaz loss he got me to get him sparring partners for him…Our relationship has grown and grown…It’s an honour for me to have him [carry the tricolour for me], and an honour for him, having the hopes of the nation on both our shoulders…I would love to [carry the tricolour for him when he fights Mayweather]…Floyd’s the greatest fighter that there’s ever been. So it’s almost an impossible task for Conor. But anything can happen in boxing.
White: McGregor-Mayweather ‘nowhere near being done’
White says that the fight between McGregor and Mayweather has not been finalized.
[It’s] nowhere near being done. There is no target date whatsoever.
Nelson: McGregor can beat Mayweather
Nelson, McGregor’s training partner, says that he has recently met MCGregor in the gym.
He’s more training boxing now, getting ready for the Mayweather bout. That’s the focus right now. He’s around but I didn’t train with him this time. It’s going to generate a lot of money. I think that’s the idea of it all. But I believe in Conor too. I have a hard time predicting exactly how this thing goes and how good Mayweather is at boxing compared to Conor. But I just know that Mayweather has struggled with southpaws. Conor is also bigger than him. Mayweather is almost always the bigger guy, except maybe when he fought Canelo. Conor has the reach as well. I think Conor could trick him in his own game. I’m just looking forward to seeing it.
Rogan explains how McGregor can beat Mayweather
Rogan says McGregor may have something up his sleeve.
There’s something about [Conor McGregor]. I’m telling you, there’s something about that dude. He’s got something going on. He’s got a little something extra special but he would need everything to line up. Mayweather would have to dismiss him as a threat. He’d have to not train hard enough, he’d have to not seriously consider the possibility that Conor connects on him and knocks him out. And then Conor would have to do some roughhousing. He’d have to hold him in the clinch. He’d have to hold him and hit him. He’d have to try and get off as many shots and bully him around and wear him out. It’s a possibility. He’s a much bigger man. He’s a much bigger man. If you compare the two of them frame-wise, if they ever do do it, and they’re standing right at each other, looking down at each other doing eye-to-eye, you’re gonna go ‘oh, shit.’ [Conor]’s a big f-ck. He can make that 145-pound cut when he’s on death’s door, but Mayweather makes it easy.
Mayweather to McGregor: ‘Stop ducking and diving’
Mayweather says McGregor will damage the reputation of the UFC if he avoids fighting him.
I’m out of retirement now just for Conor McGregor. Tell the ufc to let’s make this fight happen. I don’t want the UFC to look bad – because us boxers we’re not ducking and dodging anyone. So I don’t want Conor McGregor to duck or dodge me. He called me out. He acted like he really wanted to fight to happen. So let’s make it happen.
Mayweather: ‘Real men fight standing up’
Mayweather says MMA is not ‘real’ fighting.
We gonna fight standing up. Because real men fight standing up. I’m from old school. I’m not gonna kick my shoes off. I’m not gonna be between no man’s legs, wrestling on the ground. I’m gonna stand up and I’m gonna kick ass. That’s what I do. I’ve been doing this for 21 years.
St-Pierre: McGregor not the No.1 fighter in world
St-Pierre says that, while McGregor is good at attracting publicity, he doubts his fighting skills.
I believe Conor McGregor is the biggest draw for the sport in terms of popularity. But I don’t know if, in terms of fighting, he’s the best guy pound for pound. He’s the guy that makes the most noise, of course, but skillset talking, I don’t think he’s the number one guy. He’s the guy that makes the most noise, of course, but skillset talking, I don’t think he’s the number one guy. But he’s been proving a lot wrong in the last few fights, including myself, I was very impressed. We’ll see what the future holds for everyone.
McGregor and Mayweather want different fight dates
Despite Mayweather saying that he wants to fight McGregor in June, Conlan says McGregor wants to fight in September.
He says, September. It’s on. It’s done.
Mayweather: Let’s fight in June
On his The Undefeated Tour Mayweather calls out McGregor.
For Conor McGregor. I’m coming out of retirement just to fight Conor McGregor. I don’t want no more excuses about the money. The UFC. Sign the paper with the UFC so you can fight me in June. LEt’s fight in June. You’re the B side. I’m the A side…I’m tired about all this crying about money. Blowin’ smoke up everybody’s ass. If you wanna fight sign the paperwork. Let’s do this.
https://www.facebook.com/TheMcGregorEra/videos/454528548213168/
Mayweather: McGregor ‘full of shit’
Mayweather says McGregor is all talk and no action.
I think that, a lot of times with competitors and athletes and fighters, we can ask for certain things that we really don’t want. I want to fight, I want to fight. There’s a lot of barking but there’s no biting. When you talk about biting, sign the contract. Don’t talk the s**t. If you really want to fight, sign the contract and we can make it happen. So just letting the world know that he’s full of sthit and he don’t really want to fight. ‘Oh, I want to fight, I want to fight, I want to fight. Mayweather’s scared of me.’ Listen, I’m my own boss, so let’s make the fight happen. You talking all that shit, you acting like you want to fight, I don’t think you really want to fight. Sign the contract, let’s make it happen…You belong to the UFC and you don’t own anything. Don’t bid yourself out. Just make the fight happen. Just like when I went out and I competed, at one particular time, I had to be the B side. I didn’t cry, I didn’t complain. When they brought the money to the table, I took it, kicked ass, and became the A side. Now I’m the A side, come kick my ass and you become the A side…Conor McGregor, stop blowing smoke up peoples’ asses, you little bitch. If you want to fight, let’s make it happen you punk.
Bido Lito! interview
Aaron Starkie is interviewed by Bido Lito!, a Liverpool-based music magazine. He talks about the influence of Joy Division, and the influence of Liverpool bands, as well as the pressure of the band still having day jobs:
I won’t lie, it has been difficult for all of us to balance the band, work and home life especially in the last year or so. At times it has been physically and mentally draining. Aside from the logistical challenges of managing to write, rehearse and tour around work, we also do a lot of admin/business stuff as we have no manager, agent or label. That said, we have been rewarded for our hard work with amazing experiences. We ended last year with sold out headline shows in Manchester, London and Dublin. The Ritz in particular felt like a real celebration for us and the fans that have followed us over the years and helped spread the word.
On new material:
We should be releasing something, be it singles or an EP toward the end of the year. We are looking at the start of 2018 for the next album. In terms of what is influencing what we are writing, that feels pretty hard to pin down. Personally, I consume music mainly through listening to 6Music with the occasional bit of Absolute 80s ha ha… Lyrically, much of what I written so far has been quite personal, existential. I will try and broaden things out a little I think. Obviously the political environment, in a post-Brexit, Trump world will have an impact in some way. I think it will be interesting to see how all art forms respond to the political climate in the coming years.
Coach: Nurmagomedov may retire
Coach Mendez says Nurmagomedov may retire after his UFC 209 health issues, depending on the results of a physical in Germany.
Being that his father, like I said, is a huge influence on him and if that’s what him and his father decide to do then that’s what will happen. And I support it if that’s what they want. But you know, time will tell, right? I mean, he first has to get that title and I think that’s a very important thing in his life, and I would think if his body is not 100 percent healthy and his mind is the way it’s always been, like wanting to be the best, then it may be longer than 30 because of the fact that things like this happen – delays, injuries, he gets injured, his opponent gets injured. But I see it potentially happening if that’s what they wish.
Bisping: ‘No way’ McGregor will fight Nurmagomedov now
On his Believe You Me podcast, Bisping says McGregor will not fight Nurmagomedov.
One million per cent, it kills his chances of ever fighting Conor and it puts the UFC in a very difficult position. If they make that rematch between Khabib and Tony, and Khabib wins, there is no way Conor is going to accept that because he is going to say, ‘I’m not going to take that risk of having an entire fight camp for him not to make it to the Octagon so I’m not going to do it’.
