Floyd Mayweather, along with most boxing and MMA fans, believes he will win his Aug. 26 boxing match against Conor McGregor, the UFC lightweight champion. But the former five-division world champion admitted that McGregor, 11 years his junior, has a an edge over him — on paper.
Mayweather vs. McGregor: Floyd says he’s still the better boxer, even after losing a step
Age has caught up to the undefeated Floyd Mayweather, but his confidence remains strong.
Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
During an interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Mayweather (49-0) said he “lost a step” and McGregor’s size and age difference present a challenge.
“He’s a lot younger. 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. He’s a lot younger, so youth is on his side,” Mayweather said about McGregor.
Mayweather, 40, last fought when he unanimously defeated Andre Berto in September 2015. McGregor, 29, will be making his boxing debut.
Because Mayweather is an older fighter, he noted his knockout power has decreased. His last knockout was in 2011 against Victor Ortiz. Mayweather said he had a 90 percent knockout ratio in the early stages of his career.
“I’m not the same fighter I was two years ago. I’m not the same fighter I was five years ago,” Mayweather told Smith. “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.”
Mayweather isn’t known for captivating crowds with knockout punches. He is a defensive magician who is evasive and quick on his feet. But he said he owes it to boxing fans to be more aggressive in this fight against McGregor. Mayweather wants to pay fans back for his fight against Manny Pacquiao in May 2015. He won the huge bout via decision victory, but the match itself lacked the drama fans anticipated.
“This can’t be a defensive fight,” he said. “I have to go to him. I owe the public because of the Pacquiao fight. They weren’t pleased with that. They’re gonna be pleased with this fight here.”
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