Roach: Don’t count McGregor out vs. Mayweather
“I think Mayweather is the favorite, yes, but I wouldn’t count anyone out. Because he throws, he throws hard and he’s not afraid to throw.”
Legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach appeared recently on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, and discussed the brewing boxing match between UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor, and the greatest boxer of his generation, Floyd Mayeather Jr. Roach has worked with a number of MMA fighters, including Georges St-Pierre and Andrei Arlovski. Several years ago, he talked with then UFC agent Ari Emanuel about Arlovski boxing one of the Klitschko brothers, and was told it would “never happen.”
We’re in a different era now, said Roach, as transcribed by Marc Raimondi for MMA Fighting. It looks like it’s gonna happen. Everything is pointing in the right direction. I think Conor will have his hands full with a boxer like Floyd. But he’s sellable, he’s making some noise.
[Mayweather] told me he would fight him. Everything is pointing in that direction right now. At one point, I didn’t think it was possible.
[McGregor] is a pretty good striker. The thing is Floyd is a great boxer. He’s really good at hitting and not getting hit and so forth. I think it would take a long time for Conor to get ready for a boxing match, a pure boxing match. But ya know, one punch can change everything. It’s the sport we’re in. I’m not gonna count him out completely. I think Mayweather is the favorite, yes, but I wouldn’t count anyone out. Because he throws, he throws hard and he’s not afraid to throw.
I would like to try to help him to get ready. That would be an honor for me, yes. Right now, Georges is my main concern. Georges has first priority at this point.
McGegor’s contract prohibits competing in boxing without a waiver, and UFC president recently threw the first numbers for the fight – $25,000,000 each base plus a cut of the PPV. Mayweather dismissed it, but the negotiation is clearly underway, in fits and starts.