By Keith Idec
A common belief among many media members and fans is that if Mayweather-McGregor goes the distance, it might as well be a loss for Floyd Mayweather Jr.
According to that theory, Mayweather must knock out McGregor if the best boxer of this generation is to truly prove his complete superiority over a UFC superstar who will box for the first time as a professional. Mayweather actually agrees with that take.
The heavily favored Mayweather admitted he needs to knock out McGregor during an interview session with numerous reporters before an open workout Thursday at his self-named gym in Las Vegas.
“It is a victory for him,” Mayweather said. “If it goes the distance, it is a victory for him in my eyes, also.”
The 40-year-old Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs) has knocked out just one opponent (Victor Ortiz) in 10 fights since he stopped England’s Ricky Hatton in the 10th round of their welterweight title fight nearly 10 years ago in Las Vegas. Each of the undefeated five-division champion’s past seven fights have gone the 12-round distance.
The Grand Rapids, Michigan, native has promised, though, that he’ll be more aggressive against Ireland’s McGregor (21-3, 18 KOs in MMA) and will press to win the final fight of his Hall-of-Fame career by knockout. Skeptics have dismissed Mayweather’s knockout talk as a way to generate even more interest in their 12-round, 154-pound fight, but Mayweather emphasized again Thursday that their pay-per-view main event won’t go the distance.
“He believes that it’s not gonna go past four and I believe it’s not gonna go the distance at all,” Mayweather said. “So he feels one way, I feel another way. We’re both confident in our skills and we’ll just have to see.”
McGregor, 29, has tapped out in each of his three mixed martial arts defeats, but he has not been knocked out in his 24-fight MMA career.
2023-10-19 04:11:12
