Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)

I’m going to run boxing..

Conor’s bold prediction over £500m Vegas brawl Notorious vow to ‘bounce Floyd’s head off the canvas’

- BY DAVID COLEMAN

CONOR Mcgregor has insisted he will “run boxing” after he “bounces Floyd Mayweather’s head off the canvas” on August 26.

The pair, who will clash in a £500million superfight, came face-to-face at the SSE Wembley Arena for the fourth and final time on their multi-city press tour.

Mcgregor, who turned 29 yesterday, claimed he will quadruple his wealth after the Las Vegas showdown.

Dressed in a navy suit with a pink flower, the Dubliner certainly had the swagger of a man on top of his game.

The Notorious received a hero’s welcome as he bounced into the ring and started shadow boxing.

More than 10,000 people packed into the London venue as the two combat sports icons took to the stage for a final round of verbal sparring. Irish fans turned out in their droves and chants of “Ole, Ole, Ole” filled the arena.

And when Mcgregor took the mic, he boldly predicted he will crush the legacy of US star Mayweather, who has won all of his 49 profession­al fights.

He said: “This is my first time in a boxing ring – and in six weeks I [will] run boxing. This is my boxing ring. I am boxing.

“We are six weeks out from the biggest fight of the century.

“The bull***t is over now. In six weeks’ time, I will sleep this fool and bounce his head off the canvas.

“Then we can take it to the octagon and see if he’s all talk. Proving doubters wrong motivates me to keep going and to conquer the unconquera­ble.

“My home country is very close to my heart. Everyone knows about the Irish fans. You don’t mess with them.

“It’s a different animal when the Irish are in town. That’s the truth.” UFC lightweigh­t champ Mcgregor repeatedly poked fun at Mayweather’s age in the tongue-in-cheek exchanges.

But determined not to be out-done, a brazen Mayweather then took the mic and declared: “I’m ready to go to Ireland. Can we go to Dublin tomorrow?

“I can conquer any country. I run Ireland, I own Ireland.”

Earlier in the evening, Mayweather rubbished Mcgregor’s prediction­s and said he isn’t worried about his rival’s mixed martial arts background.

But he praised the Crumlin fighter for his loud-mouthed antics. Mayweather told reporters: “I’m the best at trash talking.

“When I speak he’s always interrupti­ng me. I can push his buttons

 ??  ?? HELD APART UFC chief Dana White acts as peacemaker GRIN AND BEAR IT Floyd sees funny side PAT’S THE WAY Mcgregor rubs up his rival
HELD APART UFC chief Dana White acts as peacemaker GRIN AND BEAR IT Floyd sees funny side PAT’S THE WAY Mcgregor rubs up his rival
 ??  ?? SOLE SURVIVOR Mcgregor puts his feet up at Wembley tour
SOLE SURVIVOR Mcgregor puts his feet up at Wembley tour

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