Mayweather, McGregor tour kicks off
Irishman floats threat of using MMA moves
LOS ANGELES: Floyd Mayweather Jr reached into a backpack and held out a US$100 million check for the crowd of 11,000 fight fans to see.
“Let me show you what a $100 million fighter looks like,” he said.
Conor McGregor interrupted from his stool behind the podium: “That’s to the tax man.”
Mayweather replied: “You’re right. I’m the IRS, and I’m going to tax your ass.”
The undefeated boxer and the Irish UFC champion have thrown their first jabs in a summer of verbal sparring before the fighting spectacle of the year.
Mayweather and McGregor kicked off a four-city promotional tour Tuesday at Staples Center, facing off in front of a raucous crowd that soaked up this circus’ first stop in Hollywood. Both fighters promised a knockout, and they had a prolonged shouting match during their second faceoff, with UFC President Dana White stepping between them.
“I am fighting, and he is boxing,” McGregor said. “It’s two men at the top of their game competing. It’s two worlds colliding. That enough is reason why this is what it is.”
Most realise the promotion for this bout may be much more entertaining than the historic 154-pound fight Aug. 26 in Las Vegas.
McGregor and Mayweather traded clever insults and profane boasts that quickly showed why this boxing match should be a rare spectacle — before the opening bell, anyway.
“He looks good for a seven- or eightfigure fighter, but I’m a nine-figure fighter,’’ Mayweather said. “This [guy] made three million dollars his last fight, but we know that’s training camp money for me.”
Mayweather, 40, has been coaxed out of his latest retirement for the colossal payday coming from this unique match-up. The bout will cost $99.95 on high-definition pay-per-view, while tickets at T-Mobile Arena will range from $500 to $10,000 — and there aren’t many $500 seats.
In a tailor-made pinstripe suit, McGregor didn’t try to disguise his glee at the prospect of his mammoth financial reward.
He also got more personal than Mayweather, going after everything from the boxer’s apparent money troubles to his attire. McGregor also risked racial offensiveness when he yelled, “Dance for me, boy! Dance for me, son!”
“He’s in a... track suit,” McGregor said, looking at Mayweather. “He can’t even afford a suit anymore. The Rolls is a 2012 outside. He is [expletive]. There’s no other way about it. I’m going to knock him out inside of four rounds, mark my words.”
Two years after his last fight and several years after his trash-talking heyday, Mayweather rose to the promotional challenge in an energetic, biting performance. The unbeaten star led his fans in a call-andresponse cheer that derided McGregor as “easy work!”
“That’s what the people want to see,” Mayweather said. “To have a sold-out arena and just give these people something just real smooth and calm, they don’t want that. That’s not what they want. These fans want entertainment, and that’s what we’re here to give them.”
And while Mayweather said his skills have declined and claimed his comeback is for one fight only, he also said he has “more than enough” to beat a rookie boxer.
“We know Mr Tapout likes to quit,” Mayweather said, referring to McGregor’s submission loss to Nate Diaz in UFC competition last year.
When McGregor spoke to the media after the public show, Floyd Mayweather Sr heckled him from the back of the room. The 64-year-old trainer’s presence provoked genuine amusement from the twodivision mixed martial arts champion, who suggested he might not abide by the contract that would punish him for MMA tactics with an enormous financial penalty.
“Tell him as long as he speaks my name with respect, I will abide by the boxing rules,” McGregor said to Mayweather Sr. “I’ll abide by the Marquess of Queensberry Rules only if he speaks my name. If he disrespects me during this buildup, then maybe I might just bounce an elbow off his eyebrow. So that’s on him how he does it.’’