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Mayweather-McGregor: McIlroy, Jeffries, Ibrahimovic Give Takes - Boxing News
Ibrahimovich dksab
never liked him anyway...
Mayweather-McGregor: McIlroy, Jeffries, Ibrahimovic Give Takes
By Terence Dooley
Golf star Rory McIlroy believes Dublin's Conor McGregor (0-0, 0) can stun the sporting world by beating Floyd Mayweather Jr. (49-0, 26 KOs) at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas on August 26 provided he goes for it early and takes the fight to his 40-year-old opponent. McGregor is taking part in his first pro fight, has been widely written off and looks awful in the sparring and training footage that has emerged thus far, but, win lose or draw, McIlroy believes that the 29-year-old has done an incredible job securing the money-spinning contest.
“If it goes past the fifth round and McGregor hasn't been able to land a shot then he's got no chance,” he said when speaking to Johnathan Bell of the Belfast Telegraph at an event to promote Nike, his sponsors. “It has to be within the first three or four rounds.”
He added: “For McGregor to go from where he was, getting $1million a fight, to getting $75m or $100m, that's massive,” he said. “I hope he does well.”
Despite talk of sluggish ticket sales, the event is expected to draw in huge financial numbers and has recently been picked up by Sky Sports Box Office here in the UK. The price has been set at £19.95, much lower than the £77.60 ($99.99) cost to watch it on High Definition in the US, and Eddie Hearn, Sky’s in-house promoter, believes it will sell well despite many fans insisting they will not fork out money for what some are calling a “freak show”.
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Tony Jeffries watched a few sparring sessions between former IBO weltwerweight holder Chris van Heerden and Conor McGregor at his LA-based gym last year, but despite being impressed by McGregor's boxing ability the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist does not believe that the UFC star has a chance against Floyd Mayweather Junior when they meet at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas live on Showtime on Saturday night.
The 32-year-old was forced to retire from boxing with a 9-0-1 (6) record in 2013 due to persistent hand injuries and relocated to LA, where he co-owns and runs the Box N Burn gyms and Academy.
Despite wanting McGregor to win his pro debut, the Sunderland-born former fighter has told Shyam Dodge of the Daily Mail that he believes Mayweather will end the fight relatively early.
“I actually think Mayweather is going to stop him within four rounds with a body shot,” he said. “I hope that I am wrong. I hope Conor McGregor knocks Mayweather flat out because I don't like Mayweather.
“Just after the Olympics I went to Vegas on a holiday. I knew someone who was in Mayweather's camp and he invited me to the gym to meet Mayweather. I was so excited. He was a bronze medallist at the Olympics just like me and I was so excited to meet him. There were loads of people and when he arrived to the gym he went around and shook everyone's hand. When he came up to me he went, 'Who the f**k is this white boy?'
“So ever since then I've wanted Mayweather to get beat. But as far as this fight it doesn't change anything. He is going to stop him with a body shot within the first four or five rounds.”
Jeffries also waded into the recent online debate over whether McGregor knocked Paulie Malignaggi down in sparring recently, something that Malignaggi denies, citing a push, and has come down on the side of McGregor.
He said: “If that was a fight I guarantee that would have been classed as a knockdown as it happened in a combination.”
IN OTHER NEWS: Zlatan Ibrahimovic has backed Conor McGregor to beat Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, saying the Irishman is the ‘Ibrahimovic of the martial arts world’.
The Manchester United striker, who re-signed for the club this week and has a black belt in taekwondo, has firmly backed the underdog ahead of the biggest fight of the year.
"Here you have a guy that has made a career out of many years and that is Mayweather,” said the 35-year-old in an interview with Sport Bible.
"And then you have the other guy that has made a career in a short time, but he made himself a big name.
"Me as a huge fan of the MMA, I see this fight. I don’t know. It can go both ways.
"Conor has a power he can knock you out from every angle. And he has a confidence, like me.
"He is the Ibrahimovic of martial arts and I’m McGregor of the football world."
"So I see him with his confidence. He will win. Because he believes in himself so much and like I say, in everything you do the mental part is 50%.
"If you have the mental, the head, you can do it and achieve. And then at the same time he’s skilful, he is the one he is. So I believe in Conor!”
Ibrahimovich dksab
never liked him anyway...
