Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor permitted to wear 8-oz. gloves despite doctors’ recommendation

Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor will wear smaller eight-ounce gloves for their fight on Aug. 26, going against the recommendation of The Association of Ringside Physicians (ARP).

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) unanimously passed a waiver for the fight to reduce the glove size from the standard 10-ounce gloves, according to MMA Fighting. ARP had cited concerns over safety considering the weight class of the fighters, and a worry that reducing the glove size could set a precedent for future fights.

Mayweather and McGregor had publicly sparred over the size on the gloves in the media. Initial reports stated that McGregor was unhappy with fighting in 10-ounce gloves, a significant departure from the four-ounce gloves he uses in the UFC, but it was Floyd who first suggesting they wear lighter gloves to, “make sure [McGregor was] comfortable.” To which the UFC lightweight champion said:

“I fight with 4oz. I don’t give a fuck about the size of the glove. I am coming sprinting at you with bricks. Know that. Brittle hands.”

The camps for both fighters have expressed no concern that the lighter glove weight would pose a safety concern for the bout. The NSAC granted the waiver, but was unhappy how both fighters used their commission as part of their feud leading up to the fight.

“I do not like the Nevada State Athletic Commission being used as a pawn in a social media bout,” Marnell said. “Between these two, that part of this request pisses me off.

“This body is not the subject of two fighters … to create social media stir and other controversy to sell tickets and to sell DirecTV.”

The decision to change the glove weight was predominantly based on a lack of evidence that moving to lighter gloves would create any “significant” health and safety issues in the fight, despite the concern of the ARP.