Referee Cortez: McGregor is an excellent student
Cortez, who has officiated over 170 world title bouts, comments on the sparring sessions between McGregor and Malignaggi.
August 26th is going to be a big fight here in Las Vegas and the whole world is going to be watching it. It will be one of the biggest pay-per-views in the history of any sport and I’m glad to be part of it in the sense that I’m teaching McGregor how to fight boxing instead of MMA. I’m teaching him the boxing rules, I’m not teaching him to fight, just teaching him the rules. I was hired to teach him the unified rules to make sure he doesn’t commit any fouls. I don’t want to see him disqualified or have any point deductions during the fight…He’s an excellent student, he’s learning real quick. Everything I’m teaching him, he’s learning. This is the biggest fight for him and these guys are making over 100 million dollars a piece. They better abide by the rules and listen to what I’m telling them because we want a good clean fight…McGregor is a puncher. McGregor is quick with his punches, he hits hard, so anything is possible.
Bisping: McGregor can beat Mayweather, but only with an early KO
Bisping says McGregor has to hit early.
Of course he has a chance, everybody has a puncher’s chance. Conor has more than a puncher’s chance because he’s working and sparring hard, he’s athletic and he’s got good timing. But to win he’s got to turn it into a brawl, simple as that. He can’t try to outbox Floyd Mayweather because he will lose if he tries to. He’s got to go for the early knockout. The longer the fight goes the more it swings in Floyd’s favour.
Malignaggi: McGregor ‘whimpers like a girl when he gets ripped’
In a series of tweets, Malignaggi says he regrets agreeing to spar with McGregor and is promising to reveal everything about the training sessions later this week.
Yea but this coming week I’ll actually start to discuss a bit what happened Tuesday, he whimpers like a girl when he gets ripped to body lol…Truthfully I was tryin hard 2 not make him look bad but if u listen 2 me b4, the praise is hollow, there wasn’t much substance 2 that praise…I won’t speak tactics of his, that I wouldn’t do, I still have some ethics I’m not Conor but def will give the story straight about stuff…I did [give him an ass whoppin’] after Tues work, I suppose the ass whippin didn’t suit him so he posted dumb pics again by Thurs while skipping sparring that day…I wouldn’t say that {McGregor gave me a tough session], a guy who’s been retired 4 months n jus got back in gym 2 spar with him was kickin his ass by second sparring sesh lol.
Malignaggi claims he was not paid for McGregor work
Malignaggi says he was not paid by the McGregor camp, but that he is fine with it, claiming he gave McGregor an ‘ass beating’.
I didn't get paid, I'm not worried about it though. I paid him with the ass beating he recieved from me on Tuesday lol https://t.co/HnsfUGKMKk
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 5, 2017
Quigley: McGregor will KO Mayweather
Quigley says McGregor will shock the boxing world with a knockout against Mayweather.
I first met him in Boston when we did a charity event together about three years ago. He was just very respectful, he knew me already, and his profile has really blown up. I also bumped into Conor in Venice, Los Angeles, when he was rolling along on his low-rider bicycle. We exchanged numbers and have kept in touch since. He came out here one time looking for sparring, but I wasn’t able to spar because I had just fought James De la Rosa…Everybody thinks he has no chance, apart from myself, but Conor has the whole of Ireland behind him and anybody with the whole Ireland behind them is going to give someone problems….I’m not going to change my prediction, I think Conor McGregor is going to knock Floyd Mayweather out.
You have to step back and look at the statistics. Everybody is looking at Floyd Mayweather as the boxer, the world champion, undefeated, this, that, whatever. The man is 40 years of age. Conor is 29, in his prime, and alright he’s not a boxer, that’s plain to see, he’s an MMA fighter and that is how he’s made his career. But he is one of the best boxers skill-wise in MMA and his timing, reactions are on point.
McGregor: Malignaggi ‘got his ass whooped’
McGregor talks about Malignaggi coming to his camp. He had initially invited Malignaggi because of his trash talk.
I looked at his stance. Looked at his approach. Some similarities to Floyd. I dint really give a f—if he was similar to Floyd.. He was speaking a hell of a game.
After they spar:
He stayed in there. Got to give respect to that. But that was it. He came, he got his ass whooped. And that”s it.
Nick Diaz: If McGregor can hit Nate, he can hit Mayweather
Nick Diaz says McGregor has an understanding of boxing that could work against Mayweather.
As far as MMA, I want to say there’s maybe five guys that do jiu-jitsu that have an actual level of understanding when it comes to boxing. He obviously does. I feel like, if he can hit my brother he can definitely can put up somewhat of a fight with Floyd, if not actually bring him an actual challenge…I don’t know what’s gonna happen. I could say one thing, I could be wrong. Also, the ups and downs of life, you never know what’s going on. Either one of these guys could have a bad – like the last time my brother fought he had broken ribs, torn rib tissue. Neither one of those fights worked out for him. He had 13 days the first time and the next time he was injured. I was there for it.
Joshua responds to claims he slept with Khan’s wife
Joshua responds to claims that he is having an affair with Khan’s wife.
Bantz aside, I hope you guys can resolve your situation or this is a hack as we have never even met! Plus I like my women BBW #ItWasntMe
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) August 4, 2017
Bantz aside, I hope you guys can resolve your situation or this is a hack as we have never even met! Plus I like my women BBW #ItWasntMe
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) August 4, 2017
Malignaggi leaves McGregor’s training camp
After the release of a photo by one of McGregor’s team that, according to Malignaggi, gave a false impression that he had been knocked down by McGregor, the boxer says he will leave McGregor’s training camp.
I just wanted to clear the air. I am leaving the McGregor training camp today. I came with best intentions & intended to help out. Just the chance to be part of such a big event in this capacity excited me.
I believe Conor & I have a mutual respect inside the ring, earned from each other with some good work over 2 sparring sessions. It’s some of the stuff outside the ring and some ways some things were handled in training camp that I didn’t agree with that made me come to this decision. It’s not my place to dictate terms in a training camp that is not mine, but it’s my place to decide if I want to be part of it. I will not give away anything tactical that I saw in 2 sparring sessions with Conor.
For what it’s worth, they have my word. The things that upset me though I will speak about in time. I wish team McGregor well in the rest of their preparations and look forward to being back in Vegas to work fight week on Showtime.
Malignaggi: ‘I actually beat his ass’
Malignaggi says he was the one who came out on top in his 12-round sparring session with McGregor.
I actually beat his ass, 24 hrsoff a flight 2 lol, which is why Im saying post the vid, I try not 2 be petty but seems it's late 4 that now. https://t.co/vSE2Iw4ffM
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 4, 2017
Malignaggi: ‘I came to help this camp out, not to be exploited’
Malignaggi threatens to tell ‘the truth’ about his session with McGregor, after he says he feels that he has been exploited by McGregor’s camp.
I came to help this camp out, not to be exploited, now your gonna get the truth though. Post FULL UNEDITED VIDEO FROM TUES night #Ethics
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 4, 2017
Malignaggi: It was a pushdown, release the whole video
Malignaggi responds to the photo that shows McGregor over him, while he lies on the boxing ring floor.
Its not nice 2 paint a pic that isn't true, this was a pushdown in sparring, post the whole video rounds 1 through 12 UNEDITED https://t.co/R82BLiMMVm
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 4, 2017
McGregor’s team: Gloves offer is ‘idle threat’
Roddy, McGregor’s striking coach, responds to Mayweather’s call to use 8 oz. gloves.
Floyd is trying to make an idle threat by saying he’ll wear 8oz gloves. Technically, he can’t. We expect 10oz gloves but, on our side, these are minuscule things that mean nothing. Whatever. Conor is used to fighting in 4oz gloves [in the UFC] so it doesn’t matter to him. Floyd may have affected previous opponents but, against us, he’s wasting his time by thinking up petty ideas. He’s wasting his own energy.”
Bayless: McGregor ‘will toy’ with Mayweather
Bayless says McGregor’s unpredictability means he can win.
Most boxers are raised to fight a certain way. Conor’s not raised to box anyway. He is as unconventional as you can get. He is crazy, but smart crazy. He’s gonna come with all kinds of stances and approaches. I think it will be completely unpredictable how he will fight this fight. And because he has high fighting IQ, high combat IQ, he will toy with Floyd, in ways that Floyd has not been toyed with, or taunted…Because Conor McGregor will not be afraid for a moment of getting knocked out.
"He will toy with Floyd…pic.twitter.com/jocLqKADFt
— Conor McGregor News (@ConormcGregor5) August 2, 2017
Mayweather: I’ll make $300 million for McGregor fight
On Showtime’s All Access: Mayweather v. McGregor, Mayweather says he will make $300 million for fighting McGregor. McGregor is rumoured to make $100 million.
I mean, am I the highest-paid athlete out there? And just coming back? We not talking about no contract. We not talking about no contract for no four years, or no contract for no five years. I can do it in 36 minutes. $300 (million) or better. In 36 minutes. Just being real…They call me ‘Money Mayweather for a reason. Imma get it regardless.
Report: Mayweather, McGregor must fight in 10-ounce gloves
ESPN reports that, according to Nevada State Athletic Commission rules, Mayweather and McGregor, who are contracted to fight at the junior middleweight division limit of 154 pounds, must fight with 10-oz gloves even if they agree they’d prefer 8-ounce gloves. NSAC rules:
Athletes (boxers/kick boxers) weighing-in up to and including 135 pounds must wear 8-oz gloves in competition, while athletes weighing-in over 135 pounds (junior welterweight class and above) must wear 10-oz gloves in competition. However, athletes weighing-in over 135 but (no) more than 147 may wear 8-oz gloves in competition if both athletes agree to do so in writing on their bout agreement (contract).
Duffy: McGregor has to find the gaps to beat Mayweather
Duffy, who beat McGregor in October 2011 with a 38-second submission at Cage Warriors 39, and who then switched to boxing, says the general level of boxing in elite MMA is rudimentary.
The standard isn’t high enough for a boxing match, but MMA is very different. With the small gloves on, you haven’t got to be as technical because it’s easier for the shots to slip through and to get stoppages, and sometimes a wilder fighter can catch you off guard quicker than a technical fighter. It’s just different…It was definitely tough [to learn boxing]. I remember my first session that was officially only boxing, and the intensity and attention to detail in that first hour and a half was crazy. I had a lot to learn. I immediately wondered if I was going to be able to do it, but out of stubbornness, I wouldn’t have been able to give up. The type of fitness is very different. We obviously cover some of that in MMA, but there’s a level of comfort you have to get to. I remember sparring high level guys and there was almost a fight-like nervousness every time you’d go to a new gym…Conor is not going to be able to put pop on every shot and won’t be able to look at the leg to the neck as a target area. The gaps you’re looking for are much smaller. That’s what I learned in boxing – how to spot and open gaps, and to pace myself while doing that. It’s just one of those differences that people take for granted. Conor has some sting on his shot but it’s different with smaller gloves, and obviously, Floyd’s defense is impeccable. Floyd is used to seeing these shots coming, and this is his battleground.
Kavanagh: Why McGregor is not using a boxing coach
Coach Kavanagh says McGregor is not using a boxing coach because they don’t see any value in it.
I don’t know if it’s a gamble or a risk. It’s a calculated risk…I don’t see the sense in bringing in a new person that doesn’t know how [we do things]…The other side to looking at it is that there has been one of the best boxing trainers in the world, and he did train a southpaw for years and years and years…and his result was negative. It didn’t work out. Freddie Roach and Pacquiao. Whatever gameplan [Freddie] had for a southpaw to beat Mayweather didn’t work…Besides a few brief moments, Mayweather was able to handle it. So why would you bring in someone to repeat the same plan, and hope for a different result? We want to do something different altogether. A completely different approach.
McGregor: ‘Pick whatever size gloves you want as well little man’
McGregor responds to Mayweather’s call for 8-ounce gloves.
Another handy 12 rounds today. We are prepared to destroy Floyd. Pick whatever size gloves you want as well little man. I fight with 4oz. I don’t give a fuck about the size of the glove. I am coming sprinting at you with bricks. Know that. Brittle hands.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXSipWvgOFS/
Mayweather to McGregor: Let’s fight in 8 oz glves
Mayweather posts to social media:
Don’t believe what you hear in the media. Don’t believe what you hear on blog sites. If it’s not coming directly from me, then it’s not true. I’m telling McGregor, “Let’s fight in 8 oz gloves”. McGregor can fight in any brand he prefers or chooses. I’ll be wearing 8 oz Grant gloves. Whatever advantage McGregor needs to feel more comfortable in the ring, I’m willing to accommodate. Let’s give the boxing and MMA fans what they want to see.
https://t.co/3uljFZ24hC pic.twitter.com/TOF5iBPoHu
— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) August 1, 2017