McGregor says lighter gloves means Mayweather’s doom
las vegas — Mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor is happy about the switch to lighter gloves for his August 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. “That was a good thing for me. I’m very happy with it,” McGregor told reporters on a conference call.
Mayweather had nearly all of his 49 professional wins using eightounce
i believe now that the gloves are eight ounces, i don’t believe he makes it out of the second round, Conor McGregor
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. “That’s it in a nutshell, you’ve got pros and cons on both sides,” he said. “Favours us both in certain ways.
“I believe now that the gloves are eight ounces, I don’t believe he makes it out of the second round,” McGregor added. “Part of me ... kind of wants to show some skills and dismantle him that way. (But) I do not foresee him absorbing the blows in the first two rounds.”
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.
“I’m just looking forward to August 26, going in and proving what I’m saying and educating the world on what martial arts is,” he said. “And earning my respect in this game also.” —