CONOR MCGREGOR AND Floyd Mayweather tonight faced their final press conference ahead of their huge Las Vegas bout on Saturday night, but it just wasn’t as exciting as many expected.
The pair exchanged verbal blows as the Dubliner gears up for his professional boxing debut against Mayweather, who puts his flawless 49-0 record on the line.
A prize for the winner was also unveiled — the ‘Money Belt,’ made of alligator leather and decorated with 1.5 kilograms of 24k gold, 3,360 diamonds, 600 sapphires and 300 emeralds.
The press conference itself was a lot tamer than previous ones however.
“This is a lot more subdued, a lot more business like,” McGregor began. “The way I like it.”
21-3 as an MMA fighter, McGregor — who declared himself as the ‘new god of boxing’ earlier – revealed that everything in the camp in the run-up to the showdown has been ‘absolutely amazing’.
He noted that Mayweather has made a “big, big error” though.
“He has messed up with eight ounce gloves, I think that’s a big mistake. I think I’ll end it in three.
“We are prepared for 12 three-minute rounds. I will knock this old man down. You see the work I’ve put in compared to him. I’ve taken this very seriously.
#MayweatherMcGregor will fight for this "Money Belt"-- 3,360 diamonds, 600 sapphires, 300 emeralds, 1.5 kg of gold, made of alligator skin pic.twitter.com/kOxT7ZQra5
— Mark Niu (@MarkNiuWrite) August 23, 2017
“I’m gonna outbox this man at his own game. We can bet the purse. He won’t last two rounds. I feel like I will have the decision to end it after one.
“I’m gonna f*** this boy up, make no mistake. This man is not on my level, he’s not even a quarter of the man I am.
“I’ve come through a lot tougher than any of these have. I’m ready for the insane pace. I do not believe that he can give that.
“When it’s all over I’ll be a bit sad, to be honest. You should’ve left me in that game where we bounce heads on the canvas. Yis are all gonna eat your words in there.”
In his speech, Mayweather sounded quite emotional, thanking all of those who have supported him him over and over.
“When it comes down to it, it comes down to the two fighters.When it’s all said and done, one thing I know is that I can fight. When I’m 49-0, I am giving it, I’m not receiving it.
It’s not going to be an easy fight, there’s going to be blood, sweat and tears. He’s the best at what he do, I’m the best at what I do.”
He hailed McGregor as a “hell of a fighter,” but issued a final word of warning to the 29-year-old.
“It’s not going to be easy, Conor. Remember this, the same way you give it, you have to be able to take it.”
Questions from the media followed, and McGregor was asked if he would but any money on the fight, like Mayweather has said he will back himself.
“I certainly know I’m going to win, I certainly know that. I know he has a gambling problem, maybe that’s why he’s in the position he’s in, that he had to take this fight.”
And when asked what was next, the MMA star vowed to continue boxing, and maybe even create his own ‘hybrid of an octagon and a boxing ring’ where others can challege ‘The King’.
“The fight business is the fight business. I can go into any rule set, that’s what a true martial artist can do. I’m truly, truly skilled in many, many forms of fighting.
“When this one is done, I’ll have 20 seconds where I relish in victory, and then I’ll go ‘What’s next?’
“After I complete victory on Saturday, I’m planning on taking on both sports.”
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