Conor heavier than Floyd
FLOYD Mayweather has weighed in at a trim 149.5 pounds (67.8kg) for his boxing showdown with Conor McGregor, who also made weight at 153 pounds (69.3kg).
The undefeated boxer and the two-division UFC champion weighed in well below the 154-pound limit before a raucous crowd at T-Mobile Arena, which will host their bout today.
Mayweather had expressed doubt McGregor could make the weight, but the Irishman roared and flexed as he came in well within the mark. McGregor is making his professional boxing debut in Vegas.
‘‘I’ll stomp my foot in the centre of that ring, and I won’t go nowhere,’’ McGregor said.
Mayweather (49-0) came in remarkably light, and he is likely to have a noticeable size disadvantage. Although Mayweather had a bulging six- GETTY IMAGES pack, McGregor claimed he wasn’t impressed.
‘‘He looks blown out and out of shape,’’ McGregor said. ‘‘That’s the worst shape I’ve ever seen him in.’’
Mayweather expressed no concern about his own weight disadvantage. The 40-year-old champion’s game is built on speed and elusiveness, not brawn.
‘‘Weight doesn’t win fights,’’ he said. ‘‘Fighting wins fights.’’
Mayweather also wasn’t bothered by the crowd booing him.
‘‘I’ve been here before,’’ Mayweather said. ‘‘I know what it takes in a fight of this magnitude. He did a lot of [talking]. I did a lot of this. Tomorrow, it comes down to the fighters.’’
The enthusiastic included thousands of McGregor’s vocal Irish fans, who sang and waved flags. Mayweather was the villain as usual, but his cheering section also appeared to be more robust than usual for the American antihero.
Ticket prices are trending down, with many below the original list price. Some tickets at the T-Mobile Arena could be had for as little as US$1100 (NZ$1500).