Mayweather bets £580k he will beat Mcgregor
American aims to give boxing lesson ‘I’m already the king’ says Irish MMA rival
Floyd Mayweather warned Conor Mcgregor that the Irishman will have to be able to “take it as well as give it” when they meet here in Saturday night’s showdown.
Speaking when the two came face to face at the final press conference, boxing’s unbeaten No1 said he was so confident he would place the biggest bet of his life – more than $750,000 (£586,000) – on himself to triumph at the T-mobile Arena.
Nonetheless, 80 per cent of wagers, expected to total over £200million, have been on the Irish fighter.
And should Mcgregor, the star of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, win he would become the “greatest combat sports athlete of all time,” in the view of Dana White, the president of the UFC.
The event is expected to break all pay-per-view and finance records for a boxing event, topping the $700million from Mayweather’s showdown with Manny Pacquiao two years ago.
At the news conference, Mayweather, 40, cautioned his 29-year-old rival that he was coming into the sphere he has dominated. “One thing he must know about the sport of boxing, and about combat sport, if you give it, you must be able to take it,” said the American
Mcgregor has belittled the standard of Mayweather’s opponents from his 20-year, undefeated career. In that time, the veteran has never been knocked down.
“I’ve faced 49 opponents, they said I have brittle hands, they say I’m scared, a scared guy,” Mayweather said. “But last time I checked nobody has walked me down. It’s called smarts, having the IQ and having patience.
“From day one everything my dad taught me, I know today; every combination that was taught to me, I still know. Everything in boxing that can be done, I’ve done it, a thousand times. I was born a fighter and I’ll die a fighter. I have the skills.
“On Aug 26 he’s going to bring his best and it’s not going to be easy, but remember that [Manny] Pacquiao had bombs, Canelo [Alvarez] had bombs, Shane Mosely had bombs – but I have a great chin.”
For his part Mcgregor was more direct. “I’ve been hit by a shinbone on the cheek, I have been hit and I can take punches. I am already the king of boxing, and when I f--- this boy up, I’m going to create my own hybrid sport and people can come and challenge me.
“I will put the pressure on and stop this old man; he will not last two rounds. He messed up changing to 8oz gloves. I’m going to break through whatever he has. I’m taking the Marquess of Queensberry Rules seriously and I’m going to beat him at his game.”