UFC champion Conor McGregor is happy about the switch to lighter gloves for his Aug. 26 fight against undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather and says his opponent will now struggle to make it past the second round.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission on Wednesday, just 10 days before the hotly anticipated Las Vegas fight, approved requests from Mayweather and McGregor to wear eight-ounce gloves rather than 10-ounce ones.
Mayweather had nearly all of his 49 professional wins using eight-ounce gloves, which may accentuate one of his advantages - his hand speed.
McGregor preferred the lighter gloves since he is used to the fingerless, four-ounce gloves typically worn in MMA.
While most pundits have McGregor, who has never boxed professionally, as a heavy underdog, the Dubliner said he was determined to prove the doubters wrong.
The Irishman said his gruelling preparations for the fight would enable him to triumph no matter how the fight develops.
McGregor made a televised appearance on "Conan" and changed his previous belief of a fourth round knockout. The UFC star now doubts that Mayweather will even make it out of the first round.
“I said four, but that’s me being humble. I don’t believe he will even exit the first round, but I’m trying to be humble on national TV. So I say four — inside four,” McGregor told host Conan O'Brien.
“I think the styles of opponents that Floyd has faced have moved in a certain way. The boxing game is almost set in its way, I feel. Their feet are flat. They have no spring in and out. Compare that with a mixed martial artist, they can bounce in and out at a fast tempo. So I believe I will paint pictures in there that he has never seen or the boxing community has never seen before and that will cause him big trouble.
“Factor that in with the precision and the punching power — it only takes me one shot. I’ve KO’d men inside three seconds. I won the UFC title in 13 seconds. So, factor in all those things — with the punching power and the precision — it’s over for Floyd and that’s it.”
2023-10-19 05:32:29
