Faber: Mayweather has a puncher’s chance vs. McGregor in MMA
Uriah Faber: “I doubt it will happen, because he’s kind of old to be jumping into a brand new sport. But the truth is, he stands a puncher’s chance.”
Very few gave Conor McGregor any chance whatsoever vs. Floyd Mayweather at MayMac last summer. But Notorious did win a round. Both Mayweather and McGregor have been floating the idea of a rematch in the Octagon. UFC president Dana White is 100% game. But if few gave McGregor a chance in the boxing ring, far, far, far fewer still give Mayweather a chance in the Octagon.
However, UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber spoke recently with Muhammad Sazali Abdul Aziz for The Straits Times, and offered a contrary opinion.
“Obviously the gameplan for Conor, in an MMA fight, is to take Floyd down,” said Faber. “But every MMA fight starts on the feet, standing. And Floyd has got some of the best hands in the world.”
But Faber was doubtful MayMac 2 in the Octagon ever comes to pass.
“I would seriously, seriously doubt there would ever be an MMA fight between Conor and Floyd,” he said. “Conor put his pride aside, said he wanted to test his skill set as a professional boxer, and of course he had a long history of being a stand-up fighter. If Floyd wants to put his pride aside the same way, great. But I doubt it will happen, because he’s kind of old to be jumping into a brand new sport.
“But the truth is, he stands a puncher’s chance.”
When the idea of McGregor boxing Mayweather was first floated, UFC president Dana White’s immediate response was to the rules.
If we start negotiating, it starts with punches, kicks and elbows, said White. We can either add or subtract from there, which ever way we go.
That should be the first reaction from Team Money to Mayweather trying MMA too.
If we start negotiating, it starts with no takedowns or submissions, they should say. We can either add or subtract from there, which ever way we go.