I see a lot of illegal shots
FEARFUL MAYWEATHER WANTS REF TO REIN IN MCGREGOR’S ‘EXTREMELY DIRTY’ BOXING STYLE IN LAS VEGAS Can Mcgregor take the Money and run in Sin City? The experts slug it out
THE $1BILLION FIGHT
The undefeated American takes on UFC superstar Mcgregor at the Tmobile Arena next Saturday night and bookies have the 49-0 Mayweather at 1-4 to take out the Dubliner.
‘Money’ has studied clips of Mcgregor in training and insisted that many of his moves and tactics stretched the bounds of boxing’s strict regulations.
“I see a lot of rabbit punches behind the head, grappling, wrestling, illegal shots,” Mayweather (below) said on a media conference call. “But the ref will be fair on both sides, I want him to be even. I want a good solid fight.”
It’s believed Mcgregor would forfeit up to 90 percent of his purse if he was to employ the kind of moves he typically uses in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, such as kicks and elbows.
However, “dirty” boxing moves do not fall under that category, and would need to be controlled by veteran American referee Robert Byrd in the ring.
Mayweather was famously accused of using elbows himself, particularly by Victor Ortiz during their 2011 bout.
Mayweather stopped his fellow American in round four, but Ortiz said: “He was hitting me with his elbows. I took a lot of them. I took I believe 16 or 17. I kept telling (referee, Joe) Cortez, ‘Hey, Cortez, elbow, elbow.’ (He just said) ‘Keep fighting Ortiz, keep fighting Ortiz.’” Mcgregor has actually hired retired official Cortez to look over his sparring sessions in training, in order to ensure he remains within the rules. “I truly believe he [Byrd] is going to do his job, his job is to keep the bout clean,” Mayweather added. “We are going to have a hell of a fight. Like I have said, I am coming straight ahead. CONOR MCGREGOR doesn’t stand a chance in his mega-money “mismatch” with Floyd Mayweather Junior in Las Vegas. That’s according to IBF world super-middleweight champion who will be ringside at the T-mobile Arena. Degale said: “It’s a mismatch, if I’m being honest. It’s going to be a great event, it has made for a fantastic build-up with Mcgregor because he’s just such an interesting character. “But it’s one of boxing’s greatest fighters against a complete novice, a guy who has never had a professional boxing bout. “He’s coming from a combat sport, but it’s still a mismatch. “I can see Mayweather stopping him late on or it could be a complete whitewash with him winning every second of every round.”
“I look forward to following the Queensberry rules of boxing. [Mcgregor] had Joe Cortez in his training camp but I still see him being extremely dirty.
“But my job is not to referee the fight, I am going to do my job. I am not worried about the outcome, I am more worried about excitement.”
Despite teasing in various television interviews that he may be prepared to fight Mcgregor a second time, perhaps even in a mixed martial arts octagon, Mayweather was adamant on Thursday that this bout will be his last. His most recent contest was against Andre Berto in 2015, which ended in a unanimous points victory.
“I thought Berto was going to be last weigh-in, last training camp, my last everything,” Mayweather added. “But you just never know what can happen and we are here with this big event. This is my last one, ladies and gentlemen.
“I gave my word to [advisor] Al Haymon, my children, and I don’t want to break that. I want to stick to my word.”
irishsport@trinitymirror.com FLOYD MAYWEATHER will have his hands full with Conor Mcgregor because he has never faced as unpredictable an opponent as the Irishman. That’s the view of former UFC star who will be part of Sky Sports’ commentary team for the spectacle. Hardy said: “Floyd has fought boxers in his previous 49 fights. They move and train like a boxer. Boxing has been established for so long, the skill-set has been refined so it can be mastered. In Mixed Martial Arts, it’s still being worked out. What Conor brings that Floyd is unpredictability. “This is about real fighting. Conor will not fight like a boxer and he won’t replicate what other boxers have done in the past. Floyd should probably win by decision, but I only say that because it’s the safest bet. Connor has the power to really connect with Floyd – and he may yet spring a real surprise.”