Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather remains a distant notion but it’s definitely creeping towards a reality.
If the two biggest draws in combat sports are to cross paths with one another then it will almost certainly be contested in a boxing ring, under boxing rules, with boxing gloves.
McGregor began his love affair with fighting as a young boxer in Dublin and has recently acquired his boxing licence in California, opening the door to a potential super-fight with the 49-0 boxing great that is Mayweather.
And while Mayweather should enjoy a significant advantage when it comes to technique, it must be noted that mixed martial artists tend to throw punches in a different manner entirely to those who have trained exclusively in boxing throughout their careers.
The threat of the takedown in MMA tends to mean that competitors hold their hands a tad lower than boxers while the stances, rhythm and general looks of mixed martial artists look completely different to traditional pugilists.
Mayweather is a stickler for detail and he wants to draft in a sparring partner from the MMA world to get a better gauge of what to expect from ‘The Notorious’ if the biggest spectacle in combat sports history comes to fruition.
UFC lightweight Kevin Lee has admitted that he’s been contacted by Mayweather’s team with an offer to work with the former five-division world champion.
“When this fight was first approached about a year ago or so, they came to me and asked me to be Mayweather’s training partner if they could make the fight happen,” Lee told MMAjunkie Radio. “I don’t think they’re any closer now than they were a year ago, but I’m excited to be his training partner for it.
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“They’ll pay me per round, and I’ll get out there and throw his ass around. Just like McGregor, I’ll talk a little shit. Hopefully they make the fight, just for myself, but I just don’t see that happening.”
Lee has previously tried to talk himself into the conversation for a lucrative clash with McGregor but that looks considerably less likely than McGregor vs. Mayweather in terms of becoming a reality.
And Lee, who is riding a three-fight win streak in the Octagon, has insisted that the Irishman has the ability and traits necessary to last the distance against Mayweather while ‘The Motown Phenom’, like his boss Dana White, would not be surprised to see McGregor introduce some MMA techniques to the boxing ring, regardless of any potential point deductions.
“I will say this: (McGregor) will not get knocked out,” Lee continued. “He’s a bigger man. He’s a southpaw, and Floyd hates fighting southpaws. Floyd’s worst fights have always come vs. southpaws. But Mayweather’s just going to touch – the speed, it’s the speed.
“Every time I spar with one of those boxers (at Mayweather’s gym), a very high-level boxer, the first thing I do is throw them to the ground. (What are they) going to do – maybe deduct you a point? OK, you’re going to lose the round anyway. You don’t give a (expletive) about losing the round. If he goes into the fight, he can’t expect to win a decision vs. Mayweather. It’s not going to happen.
“So I do feel like it would be exciting if they did it. He’s going to come out there, he should throw Mayweather around the first time they clinch, every time they clinch. Sweep him out, toss his feet in the air, and try to make him land on his head.”
