McGregor: Mayweather down in 2 rounds with 8oz gloves
McGregor says the switch to lighter gloves is to his advantage.
It’s backfired on him, I believe…I already agreed to it, but I put it in front of the public, and it must have dented his ego. That’s it. He tried to go ‘let’s do the eight ounces’. Now we’re going to do the eight ounces. Great, I usually fight in four so I don’t give a f***. I accepted these stipulations. No Mexican [gloves], no horsehair, no 10 ounce, all that. Eight ounce great. He’ll be asleep inside two [rounds]…[10 ounce in four]…I’m just trying to be humble. He’s gonna be down in the first. The only reason he may survive the first is because has ten seconds, and I can’t pounce in a mixed martial arts bout.
.@thenotoriousmma gives his prediction for #MayweatherMcGregor – watch the full interview w/ #ConorMcGregor here: https://t.co/f64k3tPoxU pic.twitter.com/ADrMSiACbr
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) August 12, 2017
McGregor: I’ll be 20 pounds heavier than Mayweather in the ring
McGregor says he will be heavier than Mayweather.
You ain’t never seen me troubled by no small man like that…If he comes in any heavier [than 150] he’s not going to be in peak physical condition. If he comes in at 150, he’s in peak physical condition, but he’s gonna be 150 pounds. I’m going to be 170 plus on the night. If I don’t know what else to say…It’s over before it even begins. Trust me on that.
.@TheNotoriousMMA sizes up @FloydMayweather ⚖️
via @ShowtimeBoxing #MayweatherMcGregor pic.twitter.com/e3mFIUUsTu
— SHOWTIME SPORTS (@SHOsports) August 12, 2017
All Access: Episode 3
McGregor and Mayweather appear in the third Episode of Showtime’s All Access. McGregor:
I could snap him down, latch up his neck and sleep him in seconds. So, I don’t give a fuck about him, I don’t hold respect for him, I will not show him respect in the fight. I don’t think he lasts four rounds, that’s being honest. Not only do I think I will beat him, I think I will also make it look easy.
https://youtu.be/ZwgjGj6Kes0
McGregor: Mayweather is a ‘rat and a weasel’ for racism claims
In response to accusations from Mayweather that McGregor’s team called his team ‘monkeys’:
I just didn’t like when he called us monkeys. I think that was totally disrespect. He called us monkeys. I didn’t like it. It didn’t push a button to make me jump out of my character and go crazy, but I didn’t like it.
At his Media Scrum, McGregor says:
He knows there’s no racism from me; his father knows, [his manager] Leonard Ellerbe knows, ask these people. He says I labelled him a monkey, I never once labelled him or any other African American a monkey, and it f****** annoys me he’s bringing this stuff up…If I was to label him after any animal it would be a rat or a weasel, that’s a rat and a weasel move trying to manipulate someone’s words and create something that isn’t even there. That’s such a sensitive subject. He’s a man who beats his wife in front of his kid. He is the dirt of the dirt so to even bring that up and engage in that, that shows me his true colours.
Mayweather: McGregor’s switch strategy won’t work
At his Media Scrum, Mayweather says he has been keeping a close eye on McGregor’s preparations for their fight, and says he already know McGregor’s game plan, and says it won’t work against him.
It’s about doing your homework. It’s not really just watching fight tapes. It’s knowing the person that you’re facing across the ring from you…That’s called doing your due diligence and your homework on your opponent. Not just watching film and fight tapes…Even right now. I know what Conor McGregor is down to. He’s down. I think he was a little bit heavy. I think he’s at 160 now, so he’s down. Yeah, I mean I know what’s going on.
McGregor, he’s going to come out, and he’s going to keep switching. I already know what he’s going to do. He’s going to come out southpaw, then he’s going to switch the other way. But when you keep switching, all you’re going to do is burn energy.
Ellerbe: $60 million box office answers critics
Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather productions says critics of the fight, such as Oscar de la Hoya, are on the wrong track.
The fact of the matter is we have over $60 million in the box office right now, which is more than double any other live gate that’s ever been done. The fight that they have on the 16th of September (Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin) next month, our fight right now we’ve got more in the box office right now — double — than they will have…Mind your f****** business. “You know? It’s like do your job, cover the sport. Obviously, you have to give your opinion, which we understand that. It’s like, we don’t see you saying nothing else about anybody else’s events. We know what this is about. It’s like, OK, one thing is for sure — you’re not gonna stop this event. The fans demanded this event and that’s what they’re gonna get. We didn’t ask for this. Social media was on fire because these two guys were going at it…Did we happen to miss the world tour? Did we see the record number of amount of fans to come out and support a world tour. You kidding me?
Mayweather: Beating McGregor by decision would be ‘win for him’
Mayweather says he will have failed if he fails to knock out McGregor in their upcoming fight.
If the fight goes the distance it is a win for him. But I don’t think that is going to happen. He is going around saying that it will be over in four rounds, and he might be right. But it will be because I say so, and not him…The people should expect entertainment, and that is what I am going to give them. They have to understand that this is a show. One of the biggest shows in history. No one is going to be disappointed. I will be coming forward. I am coming to get him.
Mayweather-McGregor undercard announced
Showtime and Mayweather Promotions announce three bouts for the Aug. 26 boxing event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, including a pair of title fights. In a WBA light heavyweight title match, champion Nathan Cleverly will defend his belt against Badou Jack, a former WBC super middleweight champion who is stepping up in weight. Cleverly:
This is a fight I have wanted ever since Badou Jack moved to light heavyweight and I’m delighted to fight in Vegas on an event like this.
Badou:
To be a part of this event and fighting on this card is historic. Nothing beats it. I’m excited to get back in the ring. I’m getting ready to take that belt, and win a title in my second weight class.
In an IBF junior lightweight title matchup, undefeated Gervonta Davis defends his belt against Costa Rica’s Francisco Fonseca. A 10-round cruiserweight bout, between Chicago’s Andrew Tabiti and Philadelphia’s Steve Cunningham, is also announced.
Mayweather: ‘This is for all the blacks around the world’
In an interview with ESPN, Mayweather says he will not fight defensively, and will take the fight to McGregor, and that he didn’t like McGregor calling his team ‘monkeys’.
If you look like it on paper, it leads to Conor McGregor…This can’t be a defensive fight. I gotta go there. I have to go to him. I gotta do what I gotta do. I owe the public for the Pacquiao fight…I didn’t like when he called us monkeys. That was disrespectful. I didn’t like it…I just thought about all our different leaders, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, that went on the front line for me and my family and all of my loved ones. And this stuff still goes on. But I’m smart, strong and patient…This is for all the blacks around the world.
McGregor Game of Thrones parody
McGregor, Mayweather and White appear in a Game Of Thrones-inspired parody video.
Two worlds collide…
🗡️🥊 #MayweatherMcGregor Is Coming… #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/i9x2Fh9TVF
— Conor McGregor News (@ConormcGregor5) August 7, 2017
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.
Mayweather vs. McGregor: Something To Prove
McGregor and Mayweather appear in a fan-made video.
Commentators: I can’t visualize Floyd Mayweather losing…Conor McGregor has exactly, a zero percent chance in this fight…He doesn’t have the skills, hes not on the same level, I expect Floyd to destroy him.
McGregor: I am a man with something to prove.
https://youtu.be/dJ3RRC54_2s
Contract: McGregor has to take twice as many drug tests as Mayweather
McGregor has been tested by the anti-doping agency ten times in comparison to five times for Mayweather. This is because McGregor’s UFC contract requires him to be available for random testing at all times, as well as new testing for the boxing match with Mayweather. So far, McGregor has been tested five times for MMA, and five times for boxing. USADA tests look for banned substances under the World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines, as well as EPO, HGH and other such illicit drugs. USADA:
[Testing] primarily focuses on out-of-competition testing, all samples are analyzed at WADA accredited labs and the rules are consistent with the WADA Code and UFC Anti-Doping Policy.
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.
All Access: Episode 2
Showtime releases the second episode of All Access. The episode follows McGregor’s and Mayweathers preparation for their August 26 fight, as well as some backstory about their upbringing.
Mayweather. Conor McGregor has the swag and the aura. That’s why he’s in the position he’s in. But, you don’t have Mayweather’s way, so you can’t get Mayweather’s payday…If he feels he’s the best fighter on Earth, I feel like I’m the best fighter on any planet.
McGregor: I don’t fight like anyone else. You can’t prepare for me. Look at Floyd’s past opponents; they have all feared him. They have all given him respect. I don’t give a f— about him. I don’t respect him. I will not show him respect in the fight…I will be ruthless in there…I am not messing around here. This is a confident, hungry, young man that’s coming for an aging fighter. 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.
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).