On August 26 Conor McGregor, the UFC Lightweight champion; a man who has zero experience being in a professional boxing match, will face the best boxer of our generation, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Does the situation look awfully lopsided in favor of Money Mayweather? It’s normal. It is. Even if the discrepancy in boxing skills is as wide as it gets between the two men many observers, most notably MMA fans, are convinced McGregor has better odds of winning than what the statistics tell us. What’s more, many claim the Irishman have a serious puncher’s chance. Well, that’s undeniable. It is minuscule, though.
Floyd Mayweather is an artist in the ring and has shown time and time again that he’s able to outclass any boxer on Earth, let alone an MMA fighter turned boxer. Let’s have a look at five of Mayweather’s signature moves and let us remind ourselves that he’s probably going to decimate McGregor.
5) The forearm crunch
McGregor’s best shot at winning is arguably using his grappling experience to make the fight dirty. Even then, the effectiveness of this tactic will depend on the referee’s willingness to break the clinch quickly or not.
Besides, Mayweather is no stranger to grappling during his fights. He utilizes the forearm crunch as a means to prevent his opponent from landing anything significant and frustrate him. It also serves as an offensive weapon, Mayweather being particularly good at firing shots once the clinch breaks off. A sneaky (and very annoying for his opponent) technique that’s he’s skillfully crafted over the years.
4) The check hook
Another deceptive technique. The check hook is better utilized on a rushing opponent both for defensive and offensive purposes.
A check hook allows you to get out of the way of your opponent’s flurry while punishing him at the same time. It’s also used to pivot into a more favorable angle. Since it’s a deceptive shot it has a high chance of seriously hurting your opponent.
Mayweather’s utilization of the check hook is nothing short of spectacular. It’s the punch he used to KO Ricky Hatton. That’ll be another weapon for McGregor to worry about.
3) The lean back, followed by a straight right
Floyd Mayweather is quick. How quick? Well, have a look at the GIF below. Money certainly wouldn’t have been able to implement his diverse arsenal in the ring if not for tremendous speed and reflexes.
His signature lean back followed by a right hand is meant to punish lazy or slow jabbers and well, Conor McGregor isn’t particularly known for his jabbing proficiency. He could very well get caught by a monstrous right hand off his jab if he doesn’t tread carefully.
2) The lightning-quick jab
The jab is the most important weapon in a boxer’s arsenal. Period. Albeit often underutilized, the jab is a means to escape, feint, confuse, overwhelm, hurt, and set up combinations.
The most versatile tool in the book by a wide margin. And again, the Irishman has never shown a solid jabbing strategy inside the Octagon. The American, on the other hand, thrives off his jab. He throws it with mind-blowing speed and accuracy. It makes little doubt this will be one of McGregor’s biggest hurdles to overcome in this fight.
1) The Philly Shell defense
Now we’re getting to Floyd Mayweather’s bread and butter. The Philly Shell (or Shoulder Roll) is a defense technique that has been used by many great boxers throughout history, such as Pernell Whitaker or Sugar Ray Robinson.
If done right, it is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself inside a boxing ring. The thing is, Mayweather has basically dedicated his whole career to perfecting his use of the Philly Shell. The boxing legend is known for his amazing defense for a reason. Even elite world champion boxers such as Oscar de la Hoya have had trouble overcoming the Philly Shell.
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Now try to imagine how difficult it will be for an MMA fighter like McGregor to pierce through it.
