Floyd Mayweather is definitely doing his part to sell Conor McGregor to the casual fan base, telling ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith in a recent interview that, on paper, the Irishman should win on Aug. 26.
McGregor, the current UFC lightweight champion, is scheduled for a 12-round boxing match against arguably the greatest defensive boxer of all time, but Mayweather believes ‘The Notorious’ has many physical advantages.
“When you look at myself and Conor McGregor on paper, he’s taller, has a longer reach, he’s a bigger man from top to bottom,” Mayweather said (h/t MMA Junkie). “He’s a lot younger. I’ve been off a couple of years, and I’m in my 40s. So if you look at everything on paper, it leans toward Conor McGregor.”
Mayweather laid into McGregor during last month’s blockbuster May-Mac media world tour, but the boxing great has recently changed his outlook, telling Smith that he’s not the fighter he used to be.
“I’m not the same fighter I was two years ago,” Mayweather said. “I’m not the same fighter I was five years ago. I lost a step. A fighter like Andre Berto isn’t even supposed to go the distance with Floyd Mayweather. But remember, I was 38. It’s obvious I’m slipping a little bit to even let a fighter like that go the distance with me. I’m not what I used to be.
“I used to have a 90 percent knockout ratio. It’s obvious I slipped somewhere. Something has taken a toll on my career.”
Despite his self-critique, ‘Money’ is still considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world and is expected to outclass McGregor on the night.
The boxing extravaganza takes place later this month, August 26, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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