Khaleej Times

Mayweather vows to finish McGregor bout early

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las vegas — Floyd Mayweather has said he has done his homework on mixed martial artist Conor McGregor and promised their multi-million dollar fight in Las Vegas on Aug. 26 will not go the distance.

Both fighters have now tipped a knockout finish to the hotly anticipate­d bout between arguably one of the greatest boxers of all time and the explosive UFC champion.

“Expect excitement. He’s gonna talk trash, I’m gonna talk trash, there’s gonna be a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” Mayweather told reporters at a media conference at his gym in Las Vegas.

Casually dressed in a black Tshirt and shorts, the bluster and profanity of the recent four-city promotiona­l tour undertaken with McGregor was replaced by a more sober analysis. “It’s about doing your homework. It’s not really watching fight tapes, it’s about knowing the person you’re facing across the ring from you. You want to know what they like to eat, what they’re doing when they’re not in camp,” he said.

“That’s called really doing your due diligence, doing your homework on your opponent.”

Mayweather brushed off suggestion­s that the left-handed McGregor might cause him problems. “Last time I checked I was undefeated, whether it was orthodox or southpaw. McGregor, he’s gonna come out and keep switching (stances)... but when you keep switching all you’re doing is burning energy,” he told reporters.

The brash 29-year-old Irishman became the first UFC fighter to hold two belts simultaneo­usly when he added the lightweigh­t belt to the featherwei­ght title he already held last November.

Having scored two knockouts to win his belts, McGregor has confidentl­y predicted he will floor Mayweather within four rounds to hand the American his first defeat in what will be his 50th profession­al bout. —

 ?? AFP ?? Floyd Mayweather during a media workout. —
AFP Floyd Mayweather during a media workout. —

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