BoxRec

nfc90210 wrote:

mickeyb wrote:But even if McGregor was 'competitive' with Van Heerden (which I always read as polite way of saying 'had his moments, but lost') would anyone pick Van Heerden to lay a glove on Floyd?

I don't think that anyone would pick Van Heerden to beat Mayweather, and I don't think Jefferies is suggesting that McGregor will beat Mayweather. I took his comments to mean that he thinks that McGregor is a better boxer than people give him credit for. I can believe that.

I have no idea what McGregor is like as a pure boxer. I've only ever seen him strike within the context of an entirely different sport. So, if someone who knows boxing and has been around McGregor when he's been sparring says, "You know, this guy can can be an effective boxer" then I'm at least going to file that in he interesting column.

Wales wrote:imagine the $$$ a rematch would generate if McGregor won.

$300 m for one fight, or take a freak one off shot and make more again for a rematch during which you box his head off

Just throwing it out there

keithmoonhangover wrote:

nfc90210 wrote:Make of it what you will, but Tony Jefferies says that he has watched McGregor spar and that he is a "high level" boxer.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 15626.html

Conor McGregor is a high-level boxer and will cause Floyd Mayweather some problems, says Tony Jeffries

The former Olympic medalist was present for McGregor's sparring sessions with Chris Van Heerden, and thinks the UFC star will cause Mayweather some problems in the ring

Luke Brown
@lukedbrown
Thursday 29 June 2017 20:08 BST

The former Olympic boxer Tony Jeffries has insisted that Conor McGregor is a “high level boxer” after watching the Irishman in a sparring session with Chris Van Heerden.

Two-weight UFC world champion McGregor will make his professional boxing debut against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas on August 26, with the vast majority of pundits predicting a comfortable night for the 40-year-old.

Fears that the fight will prove uncompetitive grew when Van Heerden released video footage of his sparring session with McGregor.

The short clip – which quickly went viral – showed Van Heerden dominating McGregor, with the South African taking advantage of the MMA star’s clumsy footwork to land several clean shots.

McGregor’s performance in the video clip is so poor that Mayweather’s camp even speculated that the footage had been deliberated staged by the Irishman in an attempt to dupe his opponent into thinking he was a poorer boxer than what he actually is.

But Jeffries has said that the clip was not a fair reflection of the sparring sessions, which were actually far more level than the footage made out.

“I was there for the spar and have been there for many spars and they have been competitive, certainly not one way like everyone is making out,” Jeffries said in an interview on Sky Sports.

“People see McGregor take a punch and they jump on him. Van Heerden is a world class boxer though, always in great shape and McGregor gave him problems in there.

“If I came in and saw him sparring and never knew who McGregor was, I would think he was a high-level professional boxer, not a mixed martial artist or a novice boxer - I thought this guy can fight and box.”

Jeffries stopped short of predicting McGregor to win the contest, but said that his counter left-hand – recognised as the most dangerous shot in the UFC – will likely cause Mayweather some problems.

“The one thing that I was very impressed with when I saw him spar was his athleticism, his elusiveness and the way he comes back with that counter left hand,” he added.

“Even when not in training camp and at full fitness, he still has that potent weapon.

“I don't think he will beat Mayweather, I can't see that, but I think he's in there and it will be an entertaining fight.”

I love Jaffa, but he's massively wrong. He's reasl;ly good mates with some MMA guys and I think he'a looking through rose tinted sopecs.

dirk2686 wrote:

nfc90210 wrote:

mickeyb wrote:But even if McGregor was 'competitive' with Van Heerden (which I always read as polite way of saying 'had his moments, but lost') would anyone pick Van Heerden to lay a glove on Floyd?

I don't think that anyone would pick Van Heerden to beat Mayweather, and I don't think Jefferies is suggesting that McGregor will beat Mayweather. I took his comments to mean that he thinks that McGregor is a better boxer than people give him credit for. I can believe that.

I have no idea what McGregor is like as a pure boxer. I've only ever seen him strike within the context of an entirely different sport. So, if someone who knows boxing and has been around McGregor when he's been sparring says, "You know, this guy can can be an effective boxer" then I'm at least going to file that in he interesting column.

I think we need to be careful about going overboard with the 'entirely different sport' line. Someone good at darts has very few transferable skills if they decide they want to become a tennis player, but McGregor is still a world champion at a sport which involves throwing a lot of punches. I'd expect him to be more competent than average Joe.

McGregor, when he's stood up and throwing punches in the UFC, looks like a deeply average boxer. Against Floyd I have no doubts that he'll be absolutely humiliated.

crusader wrote:What was Jefferies doing at the sparring session anyway? Does he still train in camps like that despite not having fought in 6 years?

liamlion wrote:No mate. You are plain wrong. McGregor's stand-up striking in the octagon is quite exceptional. Its his biggest and most successful weapon and has made him a two weight world champion in the world's premier MMA league within an extremely brutal, vicious and dangerous sport which contains many highly talented mixed martial artists.

McGregor may not be a decorated boxing champion but he knows how to use his hands to deadly effect and has good movement. Will that be enough against Mayweather? Highly unlikely but your assessment simply isnt accurate.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc_9wM2EISk

dirk2686 wrote:

liamlion wrote:No mate. You are plain wrong. McGregor's stand-up striking in the octagon is quite exceptional. Its his biggest and most successful weapon and has made him a two weight world champion in the world's premier MMA league within an extremely brutal, vicious and dangerous sport which contains many highly talented mixed martial artists.

McGregor may not be a decorated boxing champion but he knows how to use his hands to deadly effect and has good movement. Will that be enough against Mayweather? Highly unlikely but your assessment simply isnt accurate.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc_9wM2EISk

It might be exceptional for MMA. In boxing it's rank. My ability around double top is exceptional in the Dog and Duck but at Alexandra Palace I'm getting pasted.

liamlion wrote:

dirk2686 wrote:

liamlion wrote:No mate. You are plain wrong. McGregor's stand-up striking in the octagon is quite exceptional. Its his biggest and most successful weapon and has made him a two weight world champion in the world's premier MMA league within an extremely brutal, vicious and dangerous sport which contains many highly talented mixed martial artists.

McGregor may not be a decorated boxing champion but he knows how to use his hands to deadly effect and has good movement. Will that be enough against Mayweather? Highly unlikely but your assessment simply isnt accurate.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc_9wM2EISk

It might be exceptional for MMA. In boxing it's rank. My ability around double top is exceptional in the Dog and Duck but at Alexandra Palace I'm getting pasted.

Erm, dont forget that McGregor is a professional, multiple world champion prize fighter who has knocked out many world class fighters with his fists. You know that his background is boxing dont you? And that Pascal Collins (professioanl trainer and brother of World Champions Steve Collins) rates McGregor as a handy boxer? But, im sure you know far better...

Just out of interest, have you watched any live MMA fights?

I find that there is an arrogance and ignorance from some boxing fans that the general standard of striking (with the fists) in MMA is poo because it isnt fought under the rules of boxing. There is a real fear of MMA and prejudice amongst some boxing fans towards the sport. Comments and opinions expressed without actually knowing the sport of MMA or its participants. Jesus weep, if Anthony Joshua can rule the sport of boxing with minimal experience and pedigree it shows that boxing really isnt an impossible rocket science and is something that can be excelled at through dedication, natural ability and a will to learn without necessarily needing a life time of training.

dirk2686 wrote:Two things in that MMA post:

Compared to boxing MMA striking is crap. Good in MMA is one thing, but it's meaningless when compared to the other.

Calling McGregor a multiple world champion elite level prizefighter who uses his fists to win or whatever was said is no different to calling the world badminton champion a multiple world champion elite level racquet sports player who uses his racquet to win. It's true, and Federer is still going to kill him at tennis.

dirk2686 wrote:Two things in that MMA post:

Compared to boxing MMA striking is crap. Good in MMA is one thing, but it's meaningless when compared to the other.

Calling McGregor a multiple world champion elite level prizefighter who uses his fists to win or whatever was said is no different to calling the world badminton champion a multiple world champion elite level racquet sports player who uses his racquet to win. It's true, and Federer is still going to kill him at tennis.

liamlion wrote:

dirk2686 wrote:Two things in that MMA post:

Compared to boxing MMA striking is crap. Good in MMA is one thing, but it's meaningless when compared to the other.

Calling McGregor a multiple world champion elite level prizefighter who uses his fists to win or whatever was said is no different to calling the world badminton champion a multiple world champion elite level racquet sports player who uses his racquet to win. It's true, and Federer is still going to kill him at tennis.

Nah, i dont agree. I truly think youre mistaken with your dismissive attitude towards the general level of striking at the top level in MMA. Opinions hey, like arseholes, everyone has one...

And the analogies you use are slighlty ridiculous... We are not talking about badmington versus tennis, in fact such an analogy couldnt be any more pathetic. We are talking about McGregor (a cage fighter, who knocks people out with his fists wearing 4 oz gloves) fighting against a man who fights usually using 8 oz gloves. The variables really arent a million miles away. The reality is that both are standup fighters.

Kilburn wrote:I'm trying not to get sucked into this fight but it's getting hard not to.

Of the two sports I take MMA more seriously than boxing these days, for me it's much more intense and reliable as a form of entertainment. But admittedly it's hard to see where McGregor can succeed here where several excellent boxers have failed in the past.

Two years inactivity at the age of 40 though? McGregor certainly has good timing, footwork and a nasty left hand, and will likely carry unshakeable confidence into the ring on fight night. He must feel Floyd can't hurt him with his best punch.

Yes I'm getting a tad sucked into the fight. Although I won't be buying it on PPV I'm not that daft.

crusader wrote:

liamlion wrote:

dirk2686 wrote:Two things in that MMA post:

Compared to boxing MMA striking is crap. Good in MMA is one thing, but it's meaningless when compared to the other.

Calling McGregor a multiple world champion elite level prizefighter who uses his fists to win or whatever was said is no different to calling the world badminton champion a multiple world champion elite level racquet sports player who uses his racquet to win. It's true, and Federer is still going to kill him at tennis.

Nah, i dont agree. I truly think youre mistaken with your dismissive attitude towards the general level of striking at the top level in MMA. Opinions hey, like arseholes, everyone has one...

And the analogies you use are slighlty ridiculous... We are not talking about badmington versus tennis, in fact such an analogy couldnt be any more pathetic. We are talking about McGregor (a cage fighter, who knocks people out with his fists wearing 4 oz gloves) fighting against a man who fights usually using 8 oz gloves. The variables really arent a million miles away. The reality is that both are standup fighters.

Just curious, but what level do you think McG could successfully operate on straight away as a pro boxer? For example, do you think he would probably beat Danny Garcia or Lamont Peterson? How about Jessie Vargas or Jeff Horn?

crusader wrote:

liamlion wrote:

dirk2686 wrote:Two things in that MMA post:

Compared to boxing MMA striking is crap. Good in MMA is one thing, but it's meaningless when compared to the other.

Calling McGregor a multiple world champion elite level prizefighter who uses his fists to win or whatever was said is no different to calling the world badminton champion a multiple world champion elite level racquet sports player who uses his racquet to win. It's true, and Federer is still going to kill him at tennis.

Nah, i dont agree. I truly think youre mistaken with your dismissive attitude towards the general level of striking at the top level in MMA. Opinions hey, like arseholes, everyone has one...

And the analogies you use are slighlty ridiculous... We are not talking about badmington versus tennis, in fact such an analogy couldnt be any more pathetic. We are talking about McGregor (a cage fighter, who knocks people out with his fists wearing 4 oz gloves) fighting against a man who fights usually using 8 oz gloves. The variables really arent a million miles away. The reality is that both are standup fighters.

Just curious, but what level do you think McG could successfully operate on straight away as a pro boxer? For example, do you think he would probably beat Danny Garcia or Lamont Peterson? How about Jessie Vargas or Jeff Horn?