MMA: McGregor breaks leg in latest UFC loss to Dustin Poirier

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Conor McGregor suffered a broken leg in another crushing defeat to Dustin Poirier at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, with the fight stopped by doctors at the end of the first round.

As a thrilling first five-minute frame drew to a close, both fighters were still trying to land as McGregor stumbled backwards, trapping his foot under himself and breaking his leg.

Medics were immediately called into the octagon and it was clear that McGregor could not continue, prompting referee Herb Dean to declare a stop to the bout on the instructions of the doctor.

Interviewed in the octagon with his leg in a cast, McGregor raged about his misfortune.

"I was boxing the head off him, kicking the leg off him, (he was doing) the usual, diving to close the distance. This is not over - if I have to take this outside with him, it's on outside," he roared.

With McGregor having won at featherweight in 2014 and Poirier extracting revenge at lightweight in Abu Dhabi in January, the run-up to the third fight was punctuated by bad blood between the pair, in marked contrast to a face-off earlier this year where the pair paid each other compliments.

Though American Poirier was fighting on home turf, his entrance to "The Boss" by James Brown was greeted with boos from the sizeable portion of the crowd that was there to support McGregor, and there was no friendly touch of gloves before the fight began.

McGregor came out fast, switching between high and low kicks and dancing in and out of range as both fighters maintained a furious pace.

The Irish fighter tried a guillotine choke as the fight went to the mat with Poirier in top position, and when he had escaped the choke he rained down thunderous punches and elbows on McGregor.

Though McGregor struck back, Poirier looked set to finish the fight before abruptly breaking off his attack in the final seconds of the round to complain to referee Dean that the Irishman was grabbing at his gloves.

As McGregor swung and tried to back away, his footwork let him down, snapping his leg.

"He fractured it in one of the checks at the beginning of the fight and he broke it on a punch, for sure ... I felt something, he was kicking me hard," Poirier said in a post-fight interview.

The doctor's stoppage is chalked up as a win for Poirier and a loss on McGregor's record, his third defeat in his last four fights in the UFC. 

(Reporting by Philip O'Connor in Stockholm; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and William Mallard)

-reuters-

MMA: McGregor-Poirier Part 3 is official, capacity crowd expected

UFC 264 will feature a Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier main event and another rarity in sports: a capacity crowd.

The July 10 event is official as of Wednesday and UFC announced the event in Las Vegas is permitted to sell tickets to capacity. Nevada drops many coronavirus-related restrictions as of May 1 with another benchmark on June 1, although the statewide mask mandate is to remain in place.

"I'm so happy to finally be able to say Vegas is back," UFC president Dana White said in his tweeted video. "This summer Las Vegas is back open for business and on July 10, UFC 264 will be at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at 100% capacity. Ladies and gentlemen, that's 20,000 fans."

Poirier defeated McGregor by TKO in the second round of their UFC 257 bout in January.

McGregor was a -300 favorite in the January fight and opened on Wednesday as a favorite again. PointsBet and FanDuel opened McGregor at -120 over Poirier (-105).

McGregor signed the bout agreement for a trilogy fight against Poirier on Wednesday morning, he told ESPN.

Poirier (27-6) officially signed earlier this week for the fight against McGregor at T-Mobile Arena.

McGregor (22-5) reportedly agreed to the fight weeks ago. McGregor, 32, previously said that he wanted another shot at the 32-year-old Louisiana native after losing to him in January in Abu Dhabi.

McGregor won the first encounter between the two with a first-round TKO at UFC 178 in 2014.

-reuters-

MMA: Poirier, McGregor agree trilogy fight - reports

LOS ANGELES -- Dustin Poirier has signed on to face Conor McGregor in a third meeting between the two mixed martial arts rivals, US media reports said Friday.

Multiple reports said Poirier had agreed to face Irish star McGregor at UFC 264 on July 10.

The trilogy fight comes after American brawler Poirier demolished McGregor with a second-round technical knockout during their second meeting in January.

That one-sided bout followed McGregor's first-round knockout victory over Poirier in their first meeting in 2014.

ESPN reported that the fight would be a five-round bout at 155 pounds -- the same conditions for January's rematch.

McGregor, 32, will be chasing his first victory since January 2020, while the 31-year-old Poirier (27 wins, five defeats) will be looking for a third consecutive victory.

McGregor had questioned his own future after January's defeat in Abu Dhabi, when he left the venue using the help of a crutch.

The Irishman has been repeatedly linked to a boxing match against Filipino welterweight star Manny Pacquiao.

McGregor pocketed an estimated $30 million in 2017 after fighting Floyd Mayweather in a cross-combat bout in Las Vegas.

Agence France-Presse

Who’s not a fan of Pacquiao, McGregor boxing? UFC’s Dana White

If Manny Pacquiao and UFC superstar Conor McGregor do get inside a boxing ring, Dana White will certainly not be a spectator.

The UFC executive reacted to speculation that a boxing match is supposedly being negotiated between Pacquiao and McGregor after the Irish fighter posted a Tagalog message on Twitter apparently agreeing to one.

“I don’t care about any of that (expletive),” White said in an article posted on BoxingScene.com.

McGregor made his foray into boxing in 2017, when he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr.

It was a huge commercial success although the Irish fighter was stopped in 10 rounds.

As far as White is concerned, McGregor is "retired." 

"This year, he is retired," White said in a separate report posted on ESPN.com.

"He doesn't have a fight this year, and he won't have a fight this year. Conor McGregor will not fight in 2020 . . . I guarantee he will not fight in 2020."

The last time McGregor fought was in January when he easily disposed of Donald Cerrone in just 40 seconds.

news.abs-cbn.com

UFC: McGregor gives one million euros for protective hospital equipment

LONDON -- UFC star Conor McGregor has spent one million euros on protective equipment for hospital staff treating patients with the coronavirus in Ireland.

McGregor sent a message to the Republic of Ireland's Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and revealed the contents on his Twitter page.

Donohoe had written to McGregor asking him to tell his 7.9 million Twitter followers to practise social distancing.

"Today I am purchasing myself, one million euro worth of personal protective equipment to be deployed to all the fighting hospitals in the Leinster region. Our most affected region, to this date," McGregor said.

"St James's, Mater, Tallaght, Beaumont, Vincent's (hospitals). Where we would be without these brave men and women, I do not know. May God bless over them and keep them safe!"

McGregor called on the Irish government to go further in their efforts to fight the virus and implement more stringent lock-down measures.

"I feel like we are moving in the right way, it just feels to me like it is not all the way," he said. 

"I urge all the way! 'All in' is the term we must use here. Bit by bit will cost us lives.

"To see what is happening here in Ireland and all across the globe is heartbreaking to me. I pray. 

"God speed Minister and thank you for the message, and your service to our nation."

Agence France-Presse

Conor McGregor: 'The whole world lights up when I fight'

It's been more than three years from Conor McGregor's last win on the mixed martial arts (MMA) stage. After taking a 15-month sabbatical, the former two-division UFC world champion returned in triumphant fashion.

Looking to bring back the luster of his highly-publicized professional career, the man from Dublin answered his critics with a rousing knockout of Donald Cerrone. The 31-year-old dispatched his American opponent in 40 seconds with a head kick and follow-up punches in last weekend's UFC 246, which was held in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Before this win, McGregor's last victory was over Eddie Alvarez to capture the UFC lightweight strap in November 2016.


Making his first appearance since October 2018, McGregor surprised Cerrone at the start of the scheduled five-round contest with a series of shoulder strikes from the clinch, inflicting damage to his left eye and nose.

While everyone was looking for McGregor's southpaw to get the job done, it was his left leg that secured the finish. Upon separation, he wobbled Cerrone with a left high kick and drowned him with a heavy downpour of punishing punches that compelled referee Herb Dean to call a halt to the bout and award the technical knockout win to the Irishman.


Afterward, McGregor knelt at the center of the Octagon and put his head in his palms. He then grabbed the Irish flag from his team, paraded around the cage with it, finally climbing up the fence to celebrate. It marked the second-fastest triumph of McGregor's celebrated MMA stint; his quickest was his 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo for the undisputed featherweight crown in December 2015.

“I made history here tonight. I’m the first fighter in UFC history to secure knockouts [in three divisions] at featherweight, lightweight and welterweight,” McGregor says in his post-fight interview with UFC color commentator Joe Rogan. The fighter improved his MMA record to 22-4 with the win. 

On the other hand, Cerrone fell to a 36-14. The New Mexico resident has lost three straight fights, also getting finished by top-tier lightweights such as Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje. He was transported to the hospital for precautionary reasons due to serious facial lacerations.

UFC president Dana White admitted that he was blown away by how McGregor performed as a welterweight against Cerrone. "He looked unbelievable. He won't hear another peep from me about fighting at 170 pounds. He looked fast, he looked sharp, and he looked strong. It was all about Conor. It has nothing to do with 'Cowboy' being shot or anything like that," the promotion’s head honcho says.


Aside from the guaranteed USD 3 million paychec that he would earn from his comeback bout, McGregor received an additional USD 50,000 for being one of the four athletes to claim UFC 246’s “Performance of the Night” bonus.

The stakes were incredibly high for McGregor. It was a chance to re-establish himself in the sport following a loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018. In the lead-up to that grudge match, he appeared more concerned with selling his Proper Twelve whiskey brand than fighting the Russian. As a result, he got mauled by the reigning UFC lightweight champion before an ugly post-fight brawl broke out.

Outside the cage, McGregor ran into several issues, including an incident in which he punched an older man in a bar back in Ireland and a reported ongoing investigation by Irish authorities into two alleged sexual assaults.

With this win, McGregor proved that he still has his head in the game. He promised to stay active this year, competing as much as three times or more. McGregor has expressed his interest in a rematch with Nurmagomedov, who is scheduled to defend the lightweight belt against Tony Ferguson in April. He could also be in line for a cage meeting with Jorge Masvidal if he stays at welterweight.

“The Notorious” looked like the fighter he used to be, with razor-sharp striking and a shark’s insatiable sense for blood. A lackluster victory would have ramped up talk of McGregor’s best days being behind him. A loss would have been disastrous for his drawing power.

"I'm excited about the future. I'm not going to dwell on this victory. It's back in the gym and back to work. Who is next doesn't matter. When I will be fighting again is more interesting," he says. "The whole world lights up when I fight, so I want to get back out there again. Soon enough, we'll see what happens."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

MMA: McGregor pummels Cerrone in return to octagon

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Former two-division champion Conor McGregor returned to the Octagon with a stunning knockout of Donald Cerrone in under a minute at UFC 246 on Saturday in his first fight since losing a lightweight title bout to Khabib Nurmagomedov 15 months ago.

The 31-year-old Irishman left 'Cowboy' Cerrone bloodied just seconds into the fight by ramming shoulders into his face from the clinch, and when they broke McGregor landed a head kick that wobbled the American and sent him scrambling back to the cage.

McGregor closed in and rained down strikes as Cerrone covered up, prompting referee Herb Dean to stop the fight after just 40 seconds.

McGregor served a six-month suspension and was fined $50,000 for his role in a brawl at the end of his loss to Nurmagomedov.

He was convicted of assault late last year for punching a man who had refused a shot of whiskey from him in a Dublin pub while in a separate case in 2018 he was charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief after police said he attacked a vehicle carrying UFC fighters.

He pleaded guilty to a reduced disorderly conduct charge in that case.

After his long absence, McGregor was glad to be back.

"I feel really good, but I came out of here unscathed. I'm in shape. We've got work to do to get back to where I was," McGregor said in his post-fight interview.

The victory was McGregor's first since November 2016 at Madison Square Garden where he beat Eddie Alvarez to win the lightweight title and become the organisation’s first simultaneous two-weight champion.

A crowd of over 19,000 packed out the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday and an uninspiring undercard was quickly forgotten as McGregor made his way to the Octagon.

Fans waving Irish Tricolours roared support for their man as the introductions took place and McGregor leaped into action as the fight began.

Cerrone had made his name by going toe-to-toe with some of the heaviest hitters in the UFC, giving fans the fights they want to see, but he was caught cold by McGregor's unorthodox shoulder strikes.

"I had never seen anything like that," Cerrone said. "It threw me way off guard. He busted my nose and it started bleeding and then he stepped back and head kicked me.”

Despite a third straight defeat, Cerrone said he had no plans to retire.

“I’m going to keep fighting man. I love this sport.”

McGregor has said he planned to have three UFC fights this year and also revealed he has a lucrative boxing match against Manny Pacquiao in the pipeline.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

MMA: McGregor hints at retirement U-turn after Khabib feud

LOS ANGELES -- Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor hinted he may not be retiring after all on Wednesday after a racially-charged exchange of insults with rival Khabib Nurmagomedov.

In a cryptic post on Twitter which came a week after he had vowed to hang up his gloves, the trash-talking Irishman indicated he was not done with fighting.

"I want to move forward, with my fans of all faiths and all backgrounds," McGregor wrote. "All faiths challenge us to be our best selves. It is one world and one for all. Now see you in the Octagon."

McGregor's tweet appeared to be a response to criticism directed towards him after an earlier post in which he insulted Nurmagomedov's wife and the couple's Muslim faith. McGregor swiftly deleted the post made late Tuesday.

Nurmagomedov however reacted furiously to the insult, raising reported sexual assault allegations which McGregor faces in Ireland according to the New York Times.

"You are a hypocrite who is not responsible for your actions," Nurmagomedov wrote. "Justice will find you. We will see."

The vitriolic exchange prompted an intervention from UFC chief Dana White, who urged both camps to dial back their rhetoric.

"I am aware of the recent social media exchange between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor," White said in a statement.

"The ongoing situation has escalated to a level that is unacceptable. As such, we are taking the necessary steps to reach out to both athlete camps and this situation is being addressed by all parties internally."

Nurmagomedov defeated McGregor in a bout last October in Las Vegas in a contest that was marred by a massive brawl at ringside.

In January, the Nevada State Athletic Commission handed McGregor a six-month suspension for his role in the post-fight melee, backdated to October.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

MMA: McGregor, Nurmagomedov suspended for post-match brawl

Conor McGregor and UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov were each fined and suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Tuesday for their roles in a post-match melee last October in Las Vegas.

Copies of the agreements showed the commission voted to hand Nurmagomedov a nine-month ban and $500,000 fine, while McGregor was given a six-month ban and $50,000 fine for a brawl that overshadowed Russian Nurmagomedov's successful title defense.

Both suspensions are retroactive to October 6, the date of their fight, and Nurmagomedov can have three months of his ban reduced if he delivers a public service anti-bullying message.

Nurmagomedov took to Twitter in response to his punishment saying only "politics forever" while McGregor's manager Audie Attar said in a statement: "We are grateful to the commission for their serious focus and the decision which will allow fans to see their favorite fighter return to the octagon."

Moments after McGregor submitted to a Nurmagomedov rear-naked choke, the Russian champion climbed the cage and launched himself at the men in his opponent's corner, setting off a prolonged brawl inside and outside the octagon.

Irishman McGregor then needed to be restrained from jumping out of the octagon himself and traded punches with some members of Nurmagomedov's camp.

The scuffles immediately dwarfed the title fight that was one of the most lucrative in UFC history. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Nurmagomedov challenges Mayweather to clash

LOS ANGELES -- Mixed martial arts fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov has taken a page out of Conor McGregor's playbook and issued a challenge to undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather.

Nurmagomedov's challenge came in a video posted on Instagram by Mayweather's promoter Leonard Ellerbe who indicated he ran into the UFC fighter at a fight card in Russia.

"Let’s go Floyd. We have to fight now: 50-0 versus 27-0," Nurmagomedov said with Ellerbe standing next to him smiling. "We are two guys who never lose. In the jungle there is only one king. Of course, I am the king because he cannot drop McGregor but I drop him easily. Let’s go."

Nurmagomedov did not say whether he wished to fight Mayweather in a boxing or UFC match. Like McGregor, the Russian has no previous experience as a professional boxer.

McGregor made millions last year by taking on Mayweather in lopsided boxing match. Mayweather appeared to toy with McGregor in the early rounds before stopping the Irishman in the 10th to improve to 50-0.

Last weekend, Nurmagomedov retained his UFC lightweight crown, beating McGregor by fourth-round submission.

He then climbed out of the Octagon to fight with a member of McGregor's entourage who had been taunting him. McGregor also took some punches from members of Nurmagomedov's team.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

MMA: McGregor promotes fight, whiskey at raucous press conference

Conor McGregor sipped whiskey and boasted he would need just one round to defeat Khabib Nurmagomedov and reclaim the UFC lightweight title during a typically wild news conference to promote his return to the octagon on Thursday.

McGregor repeatedly referenced the infamous April incident when he threw a metal dolly through the window of a bus carrying Nurmagomedov and other UFC fighters, leading to his arrest and eventual guilty plea.

The 30-year-old Irishman told reporters in New York that he was glad that he had been unable to coax the Russian off the bus that day.

"I just thank the lord Jesus Christ that man did not ... step foot off that bus," McGregor said, pointing to Nurmagomedov.

"Because if that bus door would have opened, this man would be dead right now," he added.

"He would be in a box and I would be in a cell."

The dolly incident came after McGregor was stripped of his UFC lightweight title because he declined to defend it and chose instead to fight a lucrative boxing match against Floyd Mayweather, which he lost.

McGregor, who owns a 21-3 record in UFC and is a former champion at featherweight and lightweight, predicted his first fight in the octagon in two years would be a short.

"I believe one," McGregor said when asked how many rounds it would take to dispatch Nurmagomedov, who he called a "rat".

"He's got a glass jaw," he said.

The undefeated Russian was the calmer of the two during the press conference, never raising his voice or getting out of his chair as McGregor tore into him and his family between plugs for his whiskey.

"This is my third fight in the last nine months. I'm 26-0, I've never lost a round," said Nurmagomedov, who is also 30.

"I don't know what this guy is talking about. I don't understand what he's going to do," said Nurmagomedov, who defeated Al Iaquinta by unanimous decision in April to claim the title.

"He thinks whiskey is going to help him?" asked the devout Sunni Muslim, who declined McGregor's offer of a glass of the spirit. "I don't understand."

The fight will be held Oct. 6 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Holloway batters Aldo to retain UFC featherweight belt

UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway defended his title with a devastating third-round technical knockout victory against Brazil's Jose Aldo in Detroit on Saturday, retaining his belt with a second consecutive stoppage of the former title holder.

Holloway traded blows with Aldo over the first two rounds before letting loose in the third, finishing off the 31-year-old with 10 seconds to go in the round after unleashing a punishing series of ground strikes at a sold-out Little Caesars Arena.

Aldo's first reign as featherweight champion was brought to an abrupt halt in just 13 seconds by Conor McGregor in December 2015, but he got the belt back when the Irishman was stripped of it by the UFC 11 months later after becoming lightweight champ.

The Brazilian lost the belt to Holloway in June and was only awarded a rematch when contender Frankie Edgar pulled out due to injury, but once again he came up short against the wily 25-year-old Hawaiian, who won his 12th straight bout.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by John O'Brien)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

McGregor eyes more money fights as Mayweather retires

LAS VEGAS -- Described as the fight the fans asked for by the executives who made it happen, Saturday's clash between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor was only ever about one thing -- money.

Having beaten the Irish pretender with a 10th-round technical knockout, Mayweather can retire with a perfect 50-0 record and a payday said to be worth up to $300 million, and the American has promised never to return to the ring.

McGregor, however, is a different story.

His $30-million purse for the fight is 10 times his previous best disclosed purse from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where, as he says, he endures "shinbones to the head" as he makes his living.

In the altogether more genteel surroundings of the boxing ring, he made a lot more money with a lot less damage, and his appetite has surely been whetted by the enormous riches on offer.

McGregor has made no secret of his desire for more.

Asked what he liked most about his boxing experience, "Money" Mayweather prompted UFC lightweight champion McGregor to say the cash.

"The check is alright. The check is not bad," the Irishman laughed as he sipped his own "Notorius"-brand whiskey on the podium of the post-fight media conference.

"I've already been raising the MMA (mixed martial arts) checks. I'm still going to be raising the MMA checks when I go back there," he added.

The 29-year-old has started his own website, a clothing line and a number of other businesses, and he was clearly delighted to see the logo of his latest venture, McGregor Sports and Entertainment, in the ring at Saturday's fight.

The value of his brand, however, stems from what he does in the ring or the octagon and the brash personality he displays as he goes about his sporting business.

UFC president Dana White is keen for McGregor's boxing experiment to end sooner rather than later, and said that he was in a position to offer McGregor similar riches for mixed martial arts bouts.

"If our fights do what the (pay-per-view) buys did here tonight, and the gate, we'll all be good, trust me. Nobody will be bitching about anything," White told reporters.

"It takes two very special people in the right place at the right time to do the freakish kind of numbers and the watercooler talk that these guys had. You've got to have the right people in the right place at the right time."

With Mayweather, holder of a handful of the biggest pay-per-view sales of all time, vacating the stage at the age of 40, there is an opening for McGregor to move in and take over as the biggest draw in combat sports.

The problem is that there are few prospective opponents for him in either boxing or MMA who can generate that kind of interest.

A bitter training-camp row between McGregor and boxer Paulie Malignaggi might provide the kind of intrigue that would get fans to part with their money to see them face each other in the ring, but McGregor is most likely to return to the octagon to fight Nate Diaz.

Diaz gave McGregor his first UFC defeat in a 170-pound match-up in 2016, which McGregor avenged months later with an epic five-round decision victory at the T-Mobile Arena, before going on to win the organisation's lightweight title.

With the teak-tough Californian more than a match for McGregor in terms of trash talk, a trilogy fight to bring that rivalry to a close is about the only thing that would make sense -- and the required amount of dollars -- for McGregor at this point.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

McGregor landed more than Pacquiao against Floyd

But analyst says McGregor's punch stats are deceiving 

Conor McGregor was apparently more successful than Manny Pacquiao in terms of landing punches against the elusive Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Compubox numbers showed that the mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar landed 117 shots on Mayweather during his 10th round technical knockout loss to “Money May.” Pacquiao, on the other hand, connected only 81 punches when he fought Mayweather back in 2015.

But fight analyst Ed Tolentino said that is an inaccurate comparison of McGregor’s work rate to Pacquiao’s.

“That is deceiving. Remember that Pacquiao was handicapped, he fought with only one good shoulder,” Tolentino pointed out in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

“Also note what the computers can’t see. Except for the left uppercut in the first round, majority of Conor's punches were pitty-pat punches. The jab was anemic and he can’t get proper leverage for his left hand.”

Tolentino said Mayweather knew McGregor will have issues with his stamina since the Irish fought for only 25 minutes for most of his MMA career. When McGregor started slowing down, Mayweather stepped on the gas, he said.

“Let him throw a lot and the faster will the fatigue set in. That's exactly what happened,” he said.

Tolentino believes McGregor will even have a shorter fight if forced to a fight a puncher like Pacquiao.

“It’s so easy to be impressed with Conor going 10 rounds, but people forget that Floyd is not a fast starter and does not go for quick KO. He has scored only two knockouts in the last 10 years,” he said.

“If Conor goes 10 rounds with a puncher like Pacquiao, then I will be impressed.”

source: news.abs-cbn.com
 

Mayweather schools McGregor in 10th-round TKO victory

LAS VEGAS — A ruthless Floyd Mayweather scored a 10th-round technical knockout over mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor on Saturday, cementing his legacy as one of boxing's all-time greats.

McGregor, making his professional boxing debut, had boasted he would knock out the 40-year-old American early but his lack of ring savvy betrayed him as Mayweather improved to 50-0 to surpass heavyweight great Rocky Marciano's 49-0 record for most wins without a loss or draw.

Whether the megafight will be the richest of all-time, as promoters predicted, is still to be determined but Mayweather left no doubt of his place in the pantheon of boxing greats in what he said was his last fight.

As promised, McGregor came out full of fury and menace but Mayweather, long regarded as the finest defensive fighter to step into the ring, left few openings and used the first three rounds to feel out his opponent.

By the fourth round Mayweather went on the attack and started landing blow after blow against a suddenly desperate McGregor who was bravely hanging on while clutching and grabbing the American.

In the 10th, Mayweather moved in for kill pinning a visibly fatigued McGregor against the ropes and landing a flurry of punches when the referee stepped in to stop the fight. (Reporting by Steve Keating in Las Vegas; Editing by Frank Pingue)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Lack of pro boxing experience not a drawback for McGregor

LAS VEGAS — As he gets set to face undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather in their multi-million dollar bout on Saturday in Las Vegas, much is being made of Conor McGregor's lack of pro boxing experience, but it may turn out to be his greatest strength.

Mayweather has faced 49 boxers and beaten them all - 49 men who have studied the craft for years and years, and yet none of them could find a way through his submarine-tight defence and stinging attack.

But even though he has little by way of experience, McGregor — and in particular his left hand — still poses a huge danger to Mayweather's proud unbeaten record.

Despite the fact that he is about to become the best-paid boxing debutant in history, McGregor, who started boxing as a boy before making the switch to mixed martial arts, has never had a top-level encounter as a boxer.

That is not to say that he is a complete novice when it comes to the "sweet science," as boxing aficionados love to call their sport.

Mixed martial arts is exactly that — a cocktail of combat disciplines with whoever manages to mix up the most potent brew from their striking and grappling skills coming out on top in what can be brutal, grueling encounters.

McGregor's striking is second to none, and his devastating left hand has powered his ascent to the top of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first fighter to hold two belts simultaneously.

He showed his knockout power when decking Jose Aldo after 13 seconds to win the featherweight belt, and it was his laser precision in a flurry of four punches that sent Eddie Alvarez crashing down as he won the lightweight crown last year.

His movement is also mesmerizing — quick on his feet, his head bobbing slightly but constantly as he seeks new angles of attack.

Always meticulous in his preparations, it is unlikely that Mayweather has ever faced a southpaw with McGregor's power and style of movement before, and unlike his previous 49 opponents, there is little or no footage of McGregor sparring for him to study.

There are question marks over McGregor's endurance following his submission loss to Nate Diaz in 2016, where he emptied the gas tank looking for a big knockout and ended up putty in the hands of the rangy Californian.

Together with his head coach John Kavanagh and his vastly knowledgeable striking coach Owen Roddy, McGregor has been working to ensure that he can last the distance over 12 rounds of boxing.

McGregor can fight going forward or choose to sit back and counter-punch, but it is highly unlikely that Mayweather will seek to take the fight to his taller opponent, meaning the Irishman will have to take the initiative.

That means cutting off the ring and chasing down the elusive 40-year-old American if he is to have any chance of delivering on his promise of a knockout blow from his eight-ounce gloves within two rounds. (Reporting by Philip O'Connor)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

McGregor adds new chapter in rags-to-riches story

LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor, who stands to make up to $100 million from Saturday's boxing match against Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, is not known for his humility, but the Irishman certainly hasn't forgotten where he came from.

When the 29-year-old mixed martial arts champion recently bought a yacht he named it "188," after the number of euros he used to receive as a social welfare payment from the Irish government as recently as four years ago.

Back then, few could have dreamed of the fame and untold riches that combat sports would bring him, but McGregor — who calls himself "Mystic Mac" due to his ability to predict the outcome of his fights — never doubted himself.


Born in a working-class suburb of Dublin, McGregor began boxing at an early age before moving towards the burgeoning new sport of mixed martial arts as a teenager.

His rise as a fighter under the banner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship may seem meteoric, but an early loss as a young pro almost caused him to walk away from the sport.

His mother intervened and asked his coach, John Kavanagh, to encourage him not to give up. Kavanagh, who made a point of never chasing athletes to beg them to come back, made an exception for the brash McGregor.

Luckily for all concerned, it worked out.

McGregor suffered another loss against compatriot Joe Duffy, but then embarked on a winning streak in the Cage Warriors promotion that saw him win the featherweight and lightweight belts there.

Irish fight fans took to Twitter to campaign for a UFC contract for their rising star, and when promotion kingpin Dana White relented in 2013, McGregor was finally in the stable of the biggest show in the game.

He tore through the UFC featherweight division, winning his first seven fights and culminating in a stunning 13-second knockout of Brazilian Jose Aldo, a victory which saw him crowned the organization's featherweight champion.

In a sport struggling to find new heroes, he quickly became the UFC's biggest draw, and they were more than happy to accommodate his seemingly boundless ambition.

He set his sights on the lightweight belt, but when then-champion Rafael dos Anjos pulled out of their title fight due to injury, McGregor's career hit its first major obstacle.

Californian Nate Diaz was drafted to replace dos Anjos, and he promptly submitted the Irishman in the second round of a welterweight bout after McGregor tired himself out throwing huge left hands looking for another spectacular knockout.

McGregor put all thoughts of the lightweight title aside, demanding and getting a rematch against Diaz that turned into an epic five-round war of attrition that the Irishman edged on the scorecards of the judges.

Having had his revenge on Diaz, McGregor turned his attention to Eddie Alvarez, who had taken over the lightweight title, and was booked to meet him in the main event at the UFC's first event in New York in over 20 years.

McGregor did not disappoint, rocking Alvarez early and going on to win the fight via second round TKO to become the first UFC fighter to hold two belts simultaneously.

With his bank balance growing but nothing that appealed to him in mixed martial arts, McGregor then took aim at Mayweather, one of the greatest names in combat sports history.

A deal was done and he can now look forward to a payday that should give him financial security for the rest of his life.

Brash and profane, yet often thoughtful and intensely loyal, McGregor has a small, tight team around him that prepares him for his fights.

Regardless of what happens against Mayweather he will head to Spain with his family to celebrate the wedding of a friend and to spend some time on his yacht.

But neither he nor his team are in Las Vegas to provide Mayweather with another big purse — throughout his career McGregor has aimed to make combat sports history, and the next stop on that journey is the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday. (Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Frank Pingue)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

McGregor vows Mayweather knockout as moment of truth nears

LAS VEGAS - Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor vowed to knock out boxer Floyd Mayweather on Friday as a horde of Irish fans descended on Las Vegas for the trash-talking rivals' cross-combat super-fight.

McGregor, 29, will carry a substantial weight advantage into Saturday's 12-round boxing contest at the T-Mobile Arena after a raucous weigh-in that saw him face-off with Mayweather for the final time before fight-night.

With waves of green-shirted fans in a crowd of around 6,000 roaring their support for the Irish superstar, McGregor tipped the scales at 153 pounds, well inside the 154-pound limit.

Former welterweight champion Mayweather, 40, who has emerged from a two-year retirement to take on MMA star McGregor, weighed in at 149.5 pounds.

The naturally bigger McGregor -- who screamed into Mayweather's face as the two men went nose-to-nose -- said he expects to enter the ring at closer to 170 pounds.

Saturday's one-off bout is projected to be the richest fight in history, with Mayweather poised to earn as much as $200 million and McGregor potentially pocketing around $100 million.

McGregor, who has never fought in a professional boxing contest, is a massive underdog for a fight, which is expected to beamed live to around 200 countries and territories across the globe.

But the former apprentice plumber from Dublin, who was unemployed four years ago, defiantly predicted he was ready to spring a monumental upset on the skilful Mayweather, one of the finest boxers in history who boasts a perfect 49-0 record.

"That's the worst shape I've ever seen him," McGregor said of Mayweather. "I'm going to breeze through him, trust me on that."

'FIGHTING WINS FIGHTS'

A nonplussed Mayweather shrugged off his weight disadvantage and once again vowed to stop McGregor inside the distance.

"Weight doesn't win fights, fighting wins fights," Mayweather said. "It won't go the distance. Mark my words -- I'm not worried about the scales."

McGregor meanwhile basked in the adulation of his Irish fans who have poured into the Nevada desert gambling capital this week.

"You can't beat us -- we've already taken over," McGregor bellowed. "Las Vegas is Ireland now."

An army of Irish fans poured out onto the Las Vegas strip following the weigh-in, dancing and singing in blazing hot sunshine.

Saturday's bout has appalled boxing traditionalists, who have rubbished the event as a meaningless, money-grabbing, mismatch which owes more to the pantomime traditions of WWE wrestling than the noble art.

Boxing pundits, coaches and fighters have lined up to dismiss McGregor's hopes of succeeding where 49 others in Mayweather's 21-year career have failed.

"Would a ping-pong player have a chance of scoring a point against Roger Federer?" was the withering verdict of veteran trainer Teddy Atlas. "It's going to be like walking through a really bad neighbourhood late at night. McGregor's going to get mugged."

SAFETY FEARS

The hard-nosed heavy-hitters of the gambling world agree.

Saturday's fight is set to smash records as the most bet-upon bout in Las Vegas history.

But while McGregor, a long-odds underdog, has attracted most wagers, the majority of the money is on Mayweather.

William Hill US reported that several large bets had been placed on Mayweather for what is expected to be a straightforward assignment.

One punter placed a $1.2 million cash bet on Mayweather, which will earn around $240,000.

Yet the mere fact that McGregor will carry at least a puncher's chance into the contest has been enough to sustain the excitement.

Stephen Espinoza, the head of cable network Showtime Sports which is selling the fight on pay-per-view in the US, said surveys had shown that fans were not deterred by predictions of a mismatch.

"The casual fans were absolutely adamant," Espinoza said.

"Their response almost universally was 'We don't care if it's a mismatch ... if there's a .01 chance that something incredible could happen, we need to watch it.'

"And that's why they're going to watch it."

Others however have sounded a note of caution, citing potential safety risks to McGregor given the chasm of experience between the Irishman and Mayweather.

British former light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan expressed fears Friday McGregor could be seriously injured.

"It's like a tennis player trying to play badminton," Khan said.

"(McGregor) needs to think about himself in this fight, because if he gets seriously injured, he might not ever be the same fighter or he might not even fight again."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Boxing: From plumber to superstar, McGregor taps into fame

LAS VEGAS -- In the space of four short years, Conor McGregor has grown accustomed to the trappings of luxury that have accompanied his rise through the ranks of mixed martial arts.

But the 29-year-old multi-millionaire Irishman, who faces Floyd Mayweather in a cross-combat superfight on Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila), insists he has never forgotten his humble beginnings.

Until he was discovered and signed by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 2013, McGregor was eking out a hand-to-mouth existence. The former apprentice plumber was on the dole as he attempted to make a name for himself on the Irish mixed martial arts circuit.

"It's mind-blowing. But I never forget the struggles. I never forget where I came from. I never ever forget the hard times," McGregor says. "When things were really bad I didn't have a pot to piss in. Really, nothing. I'm not a stupid guy and it was hard standing in a dole queue."

McGregor's life now, as he contemplates Saturday's bout with Mayweather, could not be more different.

Private jets, tailor-made suits and multi-million-dollar purses feature regularly in his life. He owns a luxury yacht which he christened "The 188" -- a reference to the amount of his 188-euro ($222) weekly benefits check before his career took off.

"I pinch myself because I am surrounded by luxury. But make no mistake – it's luxury built on sacrifice," McGregor explained.

Initially, McGregor's family had attempted to steer him away from fighting, encouraging him to work as a plumber's apprentice during his teens.

"I hated every minute of it," McGregor recalled. "You were talking 14 or 15-hour days. I was getting ordered around, getting people their lunch, all this crap. I just thought, 'This life isn't for me, I'm going to pack it in. I'm going to chase my dreams.'"

'Combat is my life'

A mixed early start to his career in Ireland was followed by an eight-fight winning streak between 2011 and 2012.

In 2013, UFC chief Dana White signed him to a mult-fight contract and the world's dominant mixed martial arts circuit had its next star.

McGregor's explosive punching and ability to market himself, backing up his brash, cocksure press conference persona inside the octagon quickly endeared him to the sport's fans.

A serene start to his UFC career culminated with McGregor winning back-to-back titles, defeating Chad Mendes by knockout in July 2015 before a 13-second demolition of Jose Aldo five months later.

An upset defeat to Nate Diaz in early 2016 was followed by a decision that stunned the MMA world soon afterwards -- McGregor declaring his apparent retirement from the sport.

The announcement, however, was widely seen as a negotiating gambit, with McGregor increasingly reluctant to fulfill his contractual obligations to promote each fight.

"I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote. I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting," McGregor said. "There comes a time when you need to stop handing out flyers and get back to the damn shop."

He was back in the shop later in 2016, avenging his loss to Diaz with a win by decision in August before knocking out Eddie Alvarez to win the lightweight title three months later.

While safely back in the UFC fold, though, McGregor remained determined to try and land his ultimate prize -- a showdown with Mayweather.

Ever since the fight was announced in June, few commentators have given McGregor a chance.

The Irishman has never fought a boxing contest before, and will be facing an opponent who will be aiming for a 50th straight career victory.

McGregor, who has vowed to knock out Mayweather inside two rounds, is unfazed by his underdog status.

"I'm borderline insane," McGregor said. "I don't know about anything else and don't care about anything else. Combat is my life."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Mayweather, McGregor trade verbal jabs as countdown begins

LOS ANGELES - Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor traded verbal jabs on Tuesday as the circus-like countdown to their money-spinning superfight cranked into overdrive on the Las Vegas Strip.

Thousands of fans including a sizeable contingent of Irish supporters thronged the heart of the Nevada boxing capital to greet Mayweather and McGregor at their separate formal grand arrival ceremonies.

Mayweather, the 40-year-old undefeated former welterweight boxing champion, has been lured out of retirement to face McGregor, a star of mixed martial arts' Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The two men meet in a 12-round contest under boxing rules on Saturday that is tipped to become the richest fight in history.

The cross-combat collision has appalled boxing purists, with many decrying the event as a farcical publicity stunt more in keeping with the choreographed traditions of WWE wrestling.

Mayweather and McGregor who clashed repeatedly during an expletive-laden world press tour to drum up interest for the fight last month, insist however that they are ready to deliver a battle for the ages.

McGregor, a massive underdog in what will be his first professional boxing fight, insisted Tuesday he was ready to stun the oddsmakers.

"This is not even close to my toughest challenge ever. I will crumble him," McGregor said.

"I have adapted perfectly to boxing, I am very pleased and ready. I'm a special man, I will prove that August 26, this will go one or two rounds, maybe I will bang him out and hurt him.

"If he survives, I will decide whether I embarrass or seriously hurt him.

"I'm calm and cool, same as I am in every fight. I'm fit, sharp and I'm gonna be ruthless in there. I believe he'll be unconscious inside one round."

McGregor and Mayweather passed each other after their separate introductions, with McGregor taunting the American with a shout of "Why didn't you want to face off?" -- triggering a melee between their two entourages.

'INTRIGUING FIGHT'

A relaxed-looking Mayweather meanwhile had earlier encouraged fans to bet on the fight finishing inside 12 rounds.

"I talked to you before and said that this fight wouldn't go the distance," Mayweather said.

"If you're going to bet, bet it won't go (the distance)."

Mayweather did his best to play down his status as a heavy favourite, insisting that his two-year layoff from the ring had blunted his prowess.

"That's what makes this fight so intriguing, I've been out a few years, feel like I've lost a few steps," Mayweather said.

"So we'll just have to wait and see."

Earlier Tuesday, Mayweather had taunted McGregor over his fitness, telling the US website FightHype that he believed his opponent would struggle to make the 154-pound limit for Saturday's bout.

"Conor McGregor is extremely heavy right now," Mayweather said. "I think he's 164 so he's still got 10 pounds to go."

McGregor could face a painful financial penalty if he is unable to tip the scales inside the limit. Boxers often have the option of cancelling a fight or collecting a larger share of the purse if an opponent fails to make weight.

Mayweather, who is expected to earn at least $100 million from Saturday's contest, indicated he would take the money.

"I get that extra money if you can't make the weight," Mayweather said. "Get those extra millions ready. UFC get those extra millions ready."

"If he don't make the weight, we still going to fight but there's going to be a heavy fine."

Mayweather has fought at 154 pounds before but is more used to fighting at welterweight (150 pounds). McGregor however has fought at 170 pounds in MMA.

McGregor, 29, last week insisted he was in peak condition following a gruelling training camp that had taken him to "hell and back" and left him primed to face either a long or short fight.

"There is no way in hell that I'm not ready to fight in the deepest of trenches in this contest," McGregor said.

"We are ready for both scenarios. I'm ready to go to war for 12 rounds and I'm ready to put him away early on."

rcw/mdo

source: news.abs-cbn.com