Blood, sweat, fear
CONOR McGregor vowed to destroy Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas as the two fighters faced off heading into the duel that could become the richest fight in history.
In stark contrast to their lurid, trash-talking global press tour last month, a subdued McGregor and a stern-looking Mayweather spoke respectfully as they looked ahead to tomorrow’s 12-round boxing contest at the T-Mobile Arena.
Mayweather, who bombarded McGregor with expletives and homophobic slurs during last month’s frenzied publicity blitz, did not swear once during Wednesday’s news conference.
McGregor, the massive underdog for this weekend’s bout, restricted himself to verbally abusing a heckler in the audience who predicted he would be knocked out.
McGregor faces his first ever professional boxing contest against Mayweather, the undefeated former welterweight king, who has come out of a two-year retirement to take on the Irish mixed martial arts star.
However McGregor, the 29- year- old from Dublin, insisted he was ready to stun the world of combat sports by upsetting Mayweather, who would improve his record to a perfect 50- 0 with a win.
“Been to a lot of these crazy press conferences,” said McGregor, a two-time UFC world champion.
“This is a lot more subdued. More businesslike — the way I like it.
“We are prepared for 12 three-minute rounds of nonstop pace. We are prepared, I will put pressure on him and break this old man. Trust me on that.
“I don’t see him lasting two rounds. I feel I have the decision — to end it inside one.
“Keep your hands up, keep your hands down, I don’t care, I’m going to break through whatever’s in front of me.”
Mayweather, 40, looked relaxed throughout, even taking time to quietly admonish members of his entourage shouting at McGregor.
And rather than the abuse of last month, Mayweather praised McGregor as a “helluva fighter, a stand-up guy and a tough competitor.”
“It’s not going to be an easy fight,” Mayweather said.
“It’s going to be blood sweat and tears.
“He’s the best at what he do, I’m the best at what I do. It comes down to the two competitors going out there and displaying our skills.”