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
McGregor’s striking coach: ‘Conor is killing it in sparring’
Roddy, who is McGregor’s striking coach, says he is happy with the progress made so far.
Conor is killing it in sparring. He’s not getting touched, you know what I mean? He can do as many rounds as we want because he’s doing so well. One thing I’ve noticed in camp is that week after week, he becomes twice the fighter he was. I’ve said this before, talking about MMA, that every fight, the ‘New Conor’ would smash the ‘Old Conor.’ Well, that’s happening every week this camp. Knowing what he’s doing, and how much he’ll improve in the next four weeks, I’m excited for people to see it…I honestly believe no one has a better brain in combat sports than Conor. I’ve watched him for 16 years. I’ve watched every single person that’s come into the gym and it doesn’t matter what level they are — straight up boxers, high-level amateurs, Thai boxers, world-class MMA fighters — I’ve watched Conor read them and pick them apart time after time. You can’t coach that. I’ve never seen anybody else able to do it. There’s no doubt to me he can do it to any man. I don’t think people know what’s coming on the 26th. I honestly don’t. I don’t think anybody realizes what is coming.
Woodley demands White apology or he’ll start ‘leaking sh*t’
After Woodley’s UFC 214 win against Demian Maia, White says that Woodley should have put Maia away in the second round, criticises the lack of action in the fight, and then says he had taken away the Georges St-Pierre fight from Woodley and gave it to Michel Bisping.
Yup! There you go. Because I know Michael Bisping will fight. Michael Bisping will show up and actually fight.So yeah, we will give it to him. The ship turned around and fucking sailed back.
In response Woodley says he had problems with his shoulder:
My shoulder is f-cking torn. I’m upset, I didn’t say anything in the fight, because that’s not what a champion does…I don’t care so much about the fans, but when your job title is promoter, promote your fucking fighter. Promote your champion, don’t demote your champion. I threw my shoulder out in the first round and I wasn’t able to throw any damaging shots. I still stayed the course, stayed on task and stayed on point. I executed the gameplan after having to reduce my shots to straight punches. I didn’t even tell my coaches until I was getting my medicals after…So I am owed a public apology. You want to publicly scrutinize me Dana White, you need to publicly apologize to me. I’ve done nothing but good things for this sport, nothing but a good model for the organization…And if I don’t get that, I am going to start leaking some sh-t you don’t want to be out in the wind, and I am not even kidding about that. They know what I’m referring to. I am due a public apology. I better get it. I am tired of it.
McGregor: To have freedom, you must ‘disconnect each limb from the body safely’
In a psot to Instagram, McGregor talks about the ability to disconnect his limbs from his body.
In order to have complete freedom in your shot selection and direction, you must first gain the ability to disconnect each limb from the body safely. This is a right hand uppercut. But notice the separation in the shoulder joint. From the rotator cuff, to the clavicle, to the collar bone. The entire joint has complete freedom and separation. That whip of a shot is free to go in any direction. The same rules apply for every part of the body. Freedom in the body equals freedom in the strike. Yours sincerely, the greatest.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXO4kEGg4Md/
Elba: ‘McGregor has a really good chance of winning’
Elba, who himself has had a professional kickboxing fight, which he won, says he thinks McGregor could beat Mayweather.
In my opinion, I think McGregor has a really good chance of winning that fight. I have a kickboxing background. The agility of kickboxers and MMA is very different from a boxer. I think what’s going to happen is that Floyd — and I love Floyd, he’s a friend — he’s going to fight his fight, but I think McGregor is going to topple that…He’s going to topple his composure, he’s going to throw some things around that Floyd’s not going to be used to. And the other thing about McGregor is that he can strike really, really, really quickly out of nowhere. If Floyd does what he does normally, which is hold a tight fight, I think McGregor’s going to topple that, strike him — if he gets one on his chin, it could be over. Not a lot of people agree with me, I just know kickboxers move differently. Conor’s not going in there to try and box Floyd, he’s going to fight Floyd. That’s a different thing all together.
Covington threatens to expose ‘serious dirt’ on Woodley
Covington, who has gone 7-1 in the UFC welterweight division in which Woodley is the champion, tells White that he has “serious dirt” on Woodley which he will leak if Woodley makes good on his threat to leak damaging information.
Don't worry boss @danawhite I know some serious dirt on @TWooodley that would ruin his life. #fake https://t.co/MK9SdXRgge
— Colby Covington (@ColbyCovMMA) August 1, 2017
Cortez: McGregor-Malignaggi sparring got ‘a little out of control’
Cortez, who is in McGregor’s camp to help ease the transition to boxing rules, by overseeing sparring sessions as he would real bouts, says he had to admonish McGregor and Malignaggi during a recent sparring session.
He was in there mixing it up a little bit with Paulie and it was the real thing I had to stop the action and I had to say, ‘Alright guys, you guys are getting a little out of control here, you gotta stop this.’ It got a little rough. They were both roughing each other up and I had to stop the action like as in a regular fight. They were holding too much, they were trying to punch each other. I mean, it got a little bit out of control where I had to call ‘Time!’ [I said] ‘Alright guys, you gotta stop this right now, I want a good clean round, give me sportsman-like conduct. Understand? I don’t want to take any points from either one of you. Understand?’ I looked at them and they said, ‘Okay, alright.’ And I said, ‘Time in.’
And when asked if there had been alot of trash talking:
I had to put a stop to that as well. That’s probably why I had to stop the action.
Malignaggi now respects McGregor after watching him train
Malignaggi says McGregor has earned his respect after helping the Irishman prepare for his Las Vegas fight with Floyd Mayweather.
It makes me respect McGregor to see his work ethic that he’s put into the training camp. Seeing him work hard every day and see that he’s really determined to upset the odds. When you talk to Conor, at first I started thinking this guy doesn’t really think he’s going to win this, it’s just a 100 million dollar fight for him. Then when you really start to talk to him, you start to realise that this guy really believes it down deep inside his heart and he’s got every reason to, because every time he’s been doubted in his life he has been able to overcome those odds and win, no matter what it is. Come out of poverty, become a UFC champion, become a two-time two-weight UFC champion. Whatever it’s been, he’s done it. He has no reason to ever doubt himself, because he is yet to be proven wrong…He’s not going in there to play patty cake, he’s going in there with any other fighter’s mentality. Conor is the kind of guy who is going to come with a different style…It’s going to be up to Conor to throw those little curve balls here and there and throw things a bit out of line for Floyd, and see if he can get Floyd’s respect.
McGregor-Mayweather MC expects a billion people to watch fight
Lennon Jr, the MC who will be introducing McGregor and Mayweather on August 26, says the audience for the showdown will be huge.
There will be an excitement a buzz like there’s never been before. I think the world is tuning in to this event. I also can’t wait to introduce the fighters, sit down and see what happens. I talk to so many people and they keep running through the scenario of what will happen. I think round one is very telling so I am looking forward to getting out of the ring and sitting and watching it…It makes me feel great, the bigger the stage the more I like it and it makes it a lot more fun. We’ve had some big fights before when China tune in the crowd suddenly becomes larger, but this fight, this event has so many people from different walks of life and so many different countries, it’s gong to be huge. It’s like no event, it’s so special and maybe over a billion will see it.
Eubank Jr. to spar with Mayweather
Eubank Jr, says he is flying to Las Vegas to be part of Mayweather’s training camp in preparation for the McGregor fight.
Flying to Vegas to train with the Money Team before Mayweather vs McGregor on August 26. Awesome to be a part of Floyd’s last ever training camp.
Flying to Vegas to train with the Money Team B4 Mayweather vs McGregor on August 26. Awesome to be a part of Floyd's last ever training camp
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) July 30, 2017
Referee McCarthy responds to Cormier’s post-UFC 214 apology
In response to Cormier’s apology to Referee McCarthy, which he posted after his loss to Jon Jones….
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXMcRjEhW6j/
…McCarthy responds:
1/2 @dc_mma U have nothing to apologize for. You have been an incredible champion who has represented the sport of MMA with class & dignity
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) July 31, 2017
2/2 @dc_mma you also fought a great fight against an incredible competitor. It was an honor being in the cage with 2 of the greatest #AskBJM
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) July 31, 2017
Eubank Sr.: McGregor ‘is an Irishman. They are a special people’
Eubank Sr. says that McGregor’s Irish spirit may be the deciding factor that gets him the win against Mayweather. Eubank Sr. holds a keen interest in the fight because it echoes the fight he had with Steve Collins two decades ago, when Collins won, unexpectedly. Eubank Sr.:
What everyone is missing, what they’re not thinking about, what is so obvious — everyone is forgetting that he is an Irishman. They are a special people. I’m not bumping them up — I’m not Irish. I’m just saying my observations of the spirit of this people, they are amazing…I’m not talking about Conor McGregor. I’m not talking about an MMA fighter. I’m talking about an Irishman and an Irishman is always to be respected and that is where it is likely, it is possible, that Mayweather Jr. has taken his eye off the target…What is he fighting? You’re not fighting an MMA fighter, you’re not fighting a guy who is maybe limited in traditional boxing. You’re fighting an Irishman and that is enough. How do I know? I lived this.
Jones: McGregor ‘tremendous inspiration to me’
After his victory at UFC 214, Jones talks about McGregor:
Conor McGregor, he has been a tremendous inspiration to me. He has shown me, who has been at the upper echelon of this sport for many years now, he has shown me that these huge paydays are possible. I never thought in my time as champion that we would be able to see fighters making $70 million or whatever he’s making for this (Floyd) Mayweather fight. It’s an inspiration that you can do it. I see it as possible, and that’s what McGregor has done for me.
Lesnar responds to Jon Jones callout
After Jones beats Daniel Cormier he calls out Lesnar:
Brock Lesnar! If you want to know what it feels like to get beat by somebody who weighs 40 pounds less than you…meet me in the Octagon.
"Brock Lesnar… Meet me in the Octagon!" 🎤@JonnyBones 👊@BrockLesnar 💪
The definition of a super fight!! #UFC214 pic.twitter.com/06TOfsQTzf
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) July 30, 2017
To which Lesnar responds:
Be careful what you wish for, young man.
Brock Lesnar responded to Jon Jones (via the AP): "Be careful what you wish for, young man.” #UFC214
— Wrestling Observer (@WONF4W) July 30, 2017
Sinead O’Connor wants to sing for McGregor in Vegas
O’Connor has offered to perform Conor McGregor’s walk-on song as he prepares to fight Floyd Mayweather, Jr. next month. The Irish star sang The Foggy Dew before McGregor’s UFC entrance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena before a fight in 2015, and now she wants to bring him luck in Las Vegas again. On her personal Facebook account, Sinead has asked McGregor to send her U.S. doctor Nabil Siddiqi an autograph, calling the medic, who has helped her overcome a series of mental health issues:
[He is] the biggest Conor McGregor fan on earth. He totally saved my life so I can keep singing for your fights.
Adams confident she can beat McGregor in boxing ring
Nicola Adams, the double-Olympic gold medalist, says Mayweather will win against McGregor:
I can see the interest, for me, Floyd Mayweather’s going to win hands down. It’s just a show really for everybody, a bit of a performance, a bit of entertainment. It’s not something you get to see everyday, a UFC fighter boxing a top class boxer, I definitely see Floyd Mayweather winning by knockout.
Asked how she’d do against McGregor:
[I’d win] yeah, definitely. Yeah definitely in the boxing ring, I don’t know about in the octagon, but in the boxing ring.
Mayweather: ‘I’m knocking McGregor the f-ck out!’
In a promo clip for the upcoming fight, Mayweather warns:
I’m knocking McGregor the f-ck OUT!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXHGmCIjOru/
Dalby: McGregor ‘prepared for 12 rounds’
Dr. Julian Dalby, the man behind McGregor’s cardiovascular system TheMacLifeFast, says fans don’t have to worry about McGregor being able to go twelve rounds with Mayweather, if necessary.
We are just four weeks out now [and] Conor looks great…He is prepared in all aspects of his training to the extreme. If the fight lasts 30 seconds, Conor is ready. If the fight was to go on for one hour straight, he is ready for that too…Floyd is a one trick fighter, whereas Conor is a complete fighter and is adaptable.
McGregor brought in Dalby, and they created TheMacLifeFast program, after McGregor tired early and lost to Diaz in UFC 196.
The problem with Conor was that he used over-train himself, so we now have a full schedule in place with proper rest days. With this program we plan on taking all of MMA to the next level.