Collins brothers offer to help McGregor beat Mayweather
Collins, who beat Chris Eubank in 1995, says that if McGregor is willing to be trained by his brother, Paschal, he could beat Mayweather.
If he comes up with my brother and does training in his gym, and if he gets a Mayweather fight, we’ll sit down and put together a plan for him to beat Mayweather and if he follows our plan, he’ll beat him. Everybody can be beaten if you put together the right plan. I know that from experience…I looked at Mayweather and said, ‘Do you know what, if Conor is going to beat him, this is how he could do it’. My brother Paschal and I sat down and we put together a strategy, one day chatting, on how we would prepare him to fight Mayweather. We would show him how to win…We communicate with him and John Kavanagh’s his trainer, he’s a great guy. John Kavanagh knows that we are the boxing brains in Ireland. The only reason I’m saying that is because McGregor has the ability to do it. He’s a super athlete who can change his style. Some guys are set, ingrained in a certain way of fighting. He’s not. He can change. That’s what makes him great and that’s why he’s so popular.
McGregor celebrates coach’s 40th birthday
McGregor posts a photo with Kavanagh celebrating his coach’s 40th birthday in Dublin.
Happy birthday Coach Kavanagh we are toasting tonight!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPjFik7hGi7/
The Reveal interview
Kriegel interviews Frampton in Belfast.
Even since I was a kid, it’s a much easier place to live. I kind of grew up at the back end of the troubles. The troubles were almost over when I grew up, and there was a still a lot of fighting between the Catholics and the Protestants. Now it’s a much more inclusive city. It’s moved on a lot. I feel like I should have a job for the Tourist Board. I’m constantly promoting Belfast..This is a good city…I started boxing when I was seven years old. And I was in and out of Catholic/Nationalist areas all the time. So I never really got involved in too much trouble…They tried to keep religion out of boxing, and it’s one of the only sports it can really happen in..It’s a respect thing, and people respect good fighters over here. It doesn’t matter what side of the fence you come from…People want to look at me and say I’m a new figure for Northern Ireland. I’m a Protestant married to a Catholic. This is a ‘new age’ thing.
Kavanagh: A Mayweather fight would make McGregor’s training a lot easier
Kavanagh says training for a Mayweather boxing match would be easier than the average MMA fight.
In a weird way, you’re getting prepared to fight one of the best boxers there’s ever been. But in another way, it would actually almost feel like a break for us because we wouldn’t have to keep up the other skill sets. In mixed martial arts your trying to work on seven or eight different skill sets. Whereas in boxing, it’s one…it’s just boxing. It’d almost be like a break to only have to work on one and not work on everything. If the deal is right and the two of them come to an agreement and that happens we’ll of course plan for that and bring in some of the experts. But I’ll still be playing my little role in the corner.
White: McGregor doesn’t need Mayweather to sell PPVs
White says McGregor can pull more pay-per-views than Mayweather, and talks about Manny Pacquiao’s earnings.
Here’s the thing, Manny Pacquiao ended up doing that fight and you hear all these numbers thrown around, but it’s something like Floyd got $250 [million], Manny got $100 [million]. It’s still a lot of money for both guys, but it’s not a big fight without Manny. Manny was as important in that fight as Floyd was…I’m going to tell you why Conor McGregor is still doing over a million pay-per-view buys and Floyd isn’t. Because Conor McGregor will fight anybody, anywhere, anytime, including Floyd Mayweather. He absolutely is that guy. Whether Conor fights Floyd or he doesn’t, there’s a line of guys that are ready to fight Conor that Conor will fight that are going to do over a million pay-per-view buys. Conor McGregor loves to fight and he is one of those guys that will take on anyone, anywhere. Floyd keeps putting this thing on his social media of Conor getting choked by (Nate) Diaz, but Conor fights.
Says new MMA rules are dangerous
Sonnen, who faces Tito Ortiz in the main event of this weekend’s Bellator card, says new MMA rules saying that if a fighter had one hand on the canvas he was to be considered a grounded fighter, make the sport more dangerous. The rule:
Any part of the body, other than a single hand and soles of the feet touching the fighting area floor. To be grounded, both hands palm/fist down, and/or any other body part must be touching the fighting area floor. A single knee, arm, makes the fighter grounded without having to have any other body part in touch with the fighting area floor. At this time, kicks or knees to the head will not be allowed.
Now that the rule is in effect, Sonnen say that it could lead to fighters picking up unnecessary damage.
I don’t know them all yet. I know what a grounded fighter is, which makes the sport extremely more dangerous. One thing this sport did not need was more danger. It’s a pretty wide-open combat sport. I was very surprised that rule got passed, I was very surprised that anybody suggested it.
Pacquiao willing to fight McGregor
Pacquiao says he is open to fighting McGregor if the Mayweather fight doesn’t happen.
In boxing? In boxing [I would fight McGregor] but not in [UFC], just boxing. I didn’t see [footage of Conor sparring]. But if we are talking about Conor McGregor and boxing, it’s different. Boxing is different than MMA.
Nunes: Rousey can come back
Nunes, speaking of her own experience in past defeats, says Rousey can come back.
I already passed this moment in my career. It’s harder to lose but if you be strong, you’ll be able to come back like I did. Make some changes, adjust. The passion in her life, the family has to be with her. The base is very important. Make some changes in her camp, move to another gym and come back strong.
She also says she was surprised Rousey continued to trade blows with her.
I think it was ego. “I knew she was gonna try to strike with me and I think that was the completely wrong strategy to fight a girl like me.
Nurmagomedov: Ferguson tougher than McGregor
Nurmagomedov says McGregor is holding up the division, and that Ferguson is a stronger opponent.
Because he never defends his belts. He never [defended] his Cage Warriors belts, never defended his featherweight belt, and now UFC lightweight, I don’t think is different. But he has to defend. We’ll see. I don’t think about this too much. I think about Tony and March 4. This is the biggest fight in my life…I feel Tony’s tougher than Conor. Because if I take [Conor] down, fight finished. If I take down Tony, we have to fight. Take down Conor, what’s he going to do? His condition is very bad. His spirit, his heart is small. I think Tony’s tougher than Conor.
Ferguson: McGregor will get his ‘ass kicked’ by Mayweather
Ferguson says he’s frustrated by McGregor holding up the division.
It’s for an interim title. It should be for the real shit. Am I little pissed about it? Yeah. Is Conor going to defend his belt? Little shit. Probably not. He’s going to run. Go ahead. Go run. Go try to box so you can get your ass kicked, too, then when you’re ready to come back they’re going to strip your belt. At 155, I’m going to be holding that and you’re going to be like ‘oh I want my belt back’. I don’t give a f-ck. This is the real fight. The fight’s between Khabib and Ferguson. That’s the real deal fight…Honestly I could give two shits about it. He’s got his family, he’s got his things, he’s got his hands full. He’s a grown-ass man, he can handle his own shit. Same thing with me. I’m here to kick everybody’s ass in this division. I’m not going to excuse anybody of an ass whooping.
Woodley: Race a factor in treatment of fighters
Woodley says he has not been treated as well as other fighters because he is African-American.
People don’t like to hear it, but it’s the culture of our sport. We’re dealing with a different set of rules…UFC fans in general go through niches, genres of people. This is the genre where they want to see a clean-cut guy like [Thompson], doing razzle-dazzle, super flashy…The second I bring up race in the sport, I’m immediately race-baiting. But I can point out clear facts, where no other champion has been treated like me.
Let’s put the cards on the table, real is real. If I was a different complexion, I think people and fans would treat me a different way…I’m by far the worst-treated champion in the history of the UFC.
Mayweather taunts McGregor’s earning power
Mayweather tweets about what he ses as McGregor’s (lack of) earning power.
Before you ask for $25M, be worth more than $25M. You have the "2" and the "5" right but you meant to say $2.5M not $25M. pic.twitter.com/07vaWF0hen
— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) January 19, 2017
Woodley: McGregor can last a couple of rounds, but will lose against Mayweather
Woodley says McGregor can survive in the ring against Mayweather.
I think it is going to happen this year. I have very strong insights that it will happen.Conor is from a karate background; he’s a striker by nature. He could probably last a couple of rounds… He will lose. He will lose convincingly but he could last at least six rounds. “Conor has been known to take some crazy punches with 4-ounce gloves on. If you hit him with 8-ounce gloves on, it’s a different thing.
Conlan will ‘raise the roof’ in NYC with McGregor
Conlan, who is currently training in Los Angeles, talks about his upcoming New York debut.
I’ve had a thousand people contact me about going to the fight which is incredible but I’m not getting carried away believing I have a massive fan base when I haven’t even boxed – it’s also a great excuse to go to New York for St Paddy’s weekend. It’s a lot of expense coming out here to watch me and I know I’ll not get this kind of support all the time so it will be a very special night. Conor and I will raise the roof. He is the hype machine. Everything he touches at the minute seems to be turning to gold. The fact that he’s on board and willing to come along and support me just shows I’ve earned a bit of respect in the fight world. But to have him there with me, two Irishmen… it just brings the whole thing to a new level. What I have planned for my debut is going to be mental. The ring entrance, everything – I have the whole thing planned. I even have my kit picked already. I’m going to make a show, and make entertainment for boxing again.
Caruso ‘pissed’ at McGregor for missing xXx film
Caruso says he was angry that McGregor did not appear in his film xXx: The Return of Xander Cage.
I wasn’t disappointed, I was really pissed. Conor had said yes he was going to do the movie [then] he went and got his ass kicked by Nate Diaz. After that, he sort of backed out but didn’t back out. We had liked Michael Bisping from the onset and so we reached back out to him and got him. I think it all works out for great reasons – and then to have Michael become the world champion while you’re getting to know him.
Rogan: McGregor-Diaz trilogy fight will happen
Rogan says that if McGregor stays at lightweight, he will be challenged to a third fight by Diaz.
They’re already saying that Conor shouldn’t have fought Nate because Nate was too big for him. But Nate is a 155er. That’s a fight that’s going to happen again if Conor stays the 155lb champion. It’s going to happen again, it has to.
Daily Beast interview
Sulkowicz is interviewed about her performance art piece, The Healing Touch Integral Wellness Center, where she will take on the role of a doctor, seeing ‘patients’ for 30-minute appointments from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for two weeks at the Philadelphia Contemporary gallery.
If the thesis of this project is that art heals in ways that medicine can’t, I’m trying to figure out what that means. I want this to be a space where people can safely explore their emotions—that’s what I think a ‘safe space’ is—and figure out what they need from art, not just as an intellectual journey but to really feel why art is important to them…It sounds corny, but if my goal with art is to actually change the world for the better, I think performance art is going to be the most effective tool for that.
On Nungesser:
Yes [I resent him], because people accused me of launching a bullying campaign against him. But no one knew his name until he put it out there…I’m doing other things now, but he still has a pending lawsuit. What’s he doing with his life? It’s crazy to me.
On whether she wishes she could escape the notoriety of her mattress performance:
Absolutely. It’s really depressing to not be anonymous. It’s an ongoing conflict because on the one hand, I’m happy that the movement needed someone to step up and be the face of it and humbled to have been chosen, but the sacrifices I’ve had to make for that have been really stressful. I’ve lost friends. It was a very tumultuous year and I was very depressed.
Sharpe: McGregor can now demand $25 million for UFC fights
Sharpe says by telling McGregor what he’s worth in a fight against Mayweather, White has given the Irishman more negotiating power ahead of his next bout in the UFC.
If I’m Conor McGregor, I say I appreciate that Dana White because for the longest time you told me and you told everybody that would listen and every fight fan in the UFC, Ronda Rousey is the biggest draw. You just went on television or you went on radio and said ‘Conor McGregor is the ‘A’ side’. So whether I fight Floyd Mayweather or not, it’s going to cost you $25 million plus a back end part of the pay-per-view going forward. That’s all he’s done. Conor McGregor’s going to double down now. I want to talk to you about a piece, but going forward it’s $25 million for me to step into the ring and then we’ll negotiate the back end on pay-per-view buys. Because if I’m the ‘A’ guy, I don’t really need Floyd. Because I’m the ‘A’ guy. People are coming to see me.
Roddy: McGregor ‘more serious’ about Mayweather
Striking coach Roddy says there has been a change in McGregor’s attitude to a potential fight with Mayweather.
He would mainly bring up Floyd in passing, but over the past month or two it’s started to become more serious. It was just chitchat before but now everything is a lot more direct. Saying that, I still have no idea if this fight can ever happen, but it definitely seems to be getting closer and closer to becoming a reality.
As to McGregor’s performance:
We all know what happens when Conor lands that left hand. It doesn’t matter who it is, if that hand lands on your chin you’re going to sleep. It’s kind of like a trade off between their two skill sets. We know that Conor can knock anyone stiff, but will he be able to land a solid connection on Mayweather, a guy who is probably the greatest defensive fighter of all time? Everybody has found that very difficult, but Conor poses a very different threat. Any time Mayweather has taken a serious shot, it’s always been against a southpaw. Conor is obviously a southpaw and he will be coming in and attempting to hit Mayweather from angles he probably hasn’t seen before because they come from different disciplines. Conor will be a lot bigger too. This is going to be a tricky fight for Mayweather because it won’t be like anything he has seen before in a traditional boxing match. Conor moves in such a unique way, it would be nearly impossible for Mayweather to get someone to replicate his style, especially because none of us have ever seen Conor contest a professional boxing match before.
Chiesa: McGregor won’t end year as Lightweight champ
Chiesa says McGregor cannot win against fighters coming up in the Lightweight Division.
Sooner or later, Conor is going to have to come out and fight. Whether he’s taking this hiatus himself or the company is putting him on ice, who knows? But I don’t see him staying champion. I know he’s good. I’m not knocking him. We have to recognize the guy can f-cking fight. But you have to look at the guys coming up in the lightweight division. Tony Ferguson and Khabib, you have to fight the winner of that fight. I mean, dude, you’re good, but you’re going up against a guy who is 24-0, multiple sambo world champion, or a guy that would be on a 10-fight win streak. Conor is good, but I really don’t think he’s a true lightweight. That’s what I’m saying. With the landscape of this division, I don’t see Conor ending his year as champion. And you put me in there, I’m going to drag him to the ground and beat him too. I’m a huge lightweight. I’m as big as Nate or bigger, and we saw how many problems Nate gave him.