Conor McGregor vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fight Preview: Mayweather Willing to Wear Eight-Ounce Gloves
During a press conference earlier this month, Floyd Mayweather Jr. claimed that he was willing to fight Conor McGregor in four-ounce gloves and a lot of people raised their eyebrows after he made that statement. Of course, nobody took it seriously. He was clearly hyping the fight and he would never do such a thing.
Well, Mayweather obviously won't be fighting in four-ounce gloves when he meets McGregor on Aug. 26, 2017, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. However, he seems to be willing to wear eight-ounce gloves for the bout.
"I'm telling McGregor, 'Let's fight in 8 oz gloves'. McGregor can fight in any brand he prefers or chooses. I'll be wearing 8 oz Grant gloves. Whatever advantage McGregor needs to feel more comfortable in the ring, I'm willing to accommodate. Let's give the boxing and MMA fans what they want to see," Mayweather said on his Facebook page.
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That's a surprise. McGregor still can't wear four-ounce gloves with open fingers, but at least he's now allowed to use eight-ounce gloves.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion had previously said that Mayweather wanted the bout at 154 pounds because boxers who fight above 147 pounds must use 10-ounce gloves in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Association of Boxing Commissions. But this shows that Mayweather is willing to compromise.
The question is, will that matter? McGregor is known for his striking prowess, but one has to wonder if his punching power will translate well into boxing especially when bigger gloves are used. Mayweather will still be the overwhelming favorite when they meet later this month no matter what gloves they use.
The bout will always be considered a "circus" match by many professional boxers and mixed martial artists, but people are going to tune in to see the two meet in the ring.
