The Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor world media tour stormed
into New York in the early hours of this morning with the fighters
unleashing more profanity-laced attacks on each other as they looked to
build up interest in their light middleweight boxing bout.
On the third stop of four-day, four-city barnstorming blitz to
promote their Aug. 26 Las Vegas clash, the witty barbs that
characterised their exchanges Los Angeles and Toronto were replaced by
what appeared to be real venom.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) champion McGregor traded in the stylish
suits he wore on the previous two legs of the tour for psychedelic pants
and a furry white coat worn over a bare, tattooed chest.
He strutted imperiously onto the Barclays Center stage to an Irish ballad and thunderous applause before flexing his muscles, striking poses and rattling off a dance step or two as he waited for the undefeated boxer.
He strutted imperiously onto the Barclays Center stage to an Irish ballad and thunderous applause before flexing his muscles, striking poses and rattling off a dance step or two as he waited for the undefeated boxer.
It looked for a moment as if the circus was going to take a turn for
the worse when McGregor, who addressed the 40-year-old Mayweather as
"boy" in Toronto, let a howling crowd know he did not take the charges
of racism seriously.
"A lot of media have said I am against black people, that's absolutely ... ridiculous," McGregor roared.
"A lot of media have said I am against black people, that's absolutely ... ridiculous," McGregor roared.
"All of the media seem to be saying I'm against black people... Do
they not know I'm half black? I'm half black from the belly button
down."
The Irishman, who at times during the earlier stops had appeared to get under Mayweather's skin, had no such luck in Brooklyn, where the American ignored the jibes and took selfies while McGregor barked in his ear.
The Irishman, who at times during the earlier stops had appeared to get under Mayweather's skin, had no such luck in Brooklyn, where the American ignored the jibes and took selfies while McGregor barked in his ear.
McGregor is expected to be the aggressor in the ring against the
former five-division world champion to make up for his lack of boxing
experience and has played that role throughout the tour, which wraps up
on Friday with a stop in London.
Famous for his knockout power in the MMA cage, McGregor managed only glancing blows on Thursday as Mayweather, widely regarded as one of the best defensive fighters of all-time, side-stepped and returned fired by dubbing McGregor a quitter.
Famous for his knockout power in the MMA cage, McGregor managed only glancing blows on Thursday as Mayweather, widely regarded as one of the best defensive fighters of all-time, side-stepped and returned fired by dubbing McGregor a quitter.
"(He) didn't quit once, (he) didn't quit twice, (he) quit three
time," Mayweather screamed with another volley of profanity, referring
to McGregor tapping out in his three career defeats.
While boxing purists have denounced the fight as nothing more than a laughable cashgrab it has nonetheless captured the fascination of many fight fans.
While boxing purists have denounced the fight as nothing more than a laughable cashgrab it has nonetheless captured the fascination of many fight fans.
McGregor has been the undisputed favourite at each stop on the media
tour, and can expect more of the same in London, but few give him any
chance in the ring against one of the most skilled and tactically astute
boxers of all time.
The fight would seem an outlandish mismatch with Mayweather 49-0 stepping into the ring against McGregor, who will be making his professional boxing debut.
The underdog role is one that fits McGregor like one of his tailored suits, however, and he recalled similar predictions before he beat Jose Aldo to win the UFC featherweight title in late 2015.
The fight would seem an outlandish mismatch with Mayweather 49-0 stepping into the ring against McGregor, who will be making his professional boxing debut.
The underdog role is one that fits McGregor like one of his tailored suits, however, and he recalled similar predictions before he beat Jose Aldo to win the UFC featherweight title in late 2015.
"They said the same things then as they're saying now," he said.
"They said I had no chance. They said I’m in over my head. They said he kicks too hard. Too many weapons.
"The Irishman is going to fall short, he doesn’t stand a hope.
"It took me 13 seconds."
Source: Independent
"The Irishman is going to fall short, he doesn’t stand a hope.
"It took me 13 seconds."
Source: Independent
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