Is Floyd Mayweather taking his fight with Conor McGregor as seriously as he should be?

The undefeated American has been spotted hanging out in Burger King and says he'll spend fight week relaxing at his strip club. Is he underestimating his unpredictable opponent?

The American is the overwhelming favourite to win the fight (Getty)

Make no mistake about it: Floyd Mayweather is putting it all on the line when he fights Conor McGregor at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas later this week.

The American, who turned 40 earlier this year, is attempting to eclipse the record of the great Rocky Marciano by moving to 50-0, having been inactive since last fighting Andre Berto almost two years ago.

In contrast, McGregor is 0-0, having never before taking part in a professional boxing match. If the Irishman loses — so what? He was never expected to win and stands to quadruple his net worth anyway.

But if he wins? Mayweather will be utterly humiliated, losing his revered record to a rank amateur who nobody had given a hope. “Boxing will crumble,” the Bellator light-heavyweight title contender Linton Vassell told The Independent this week.

“If Conor defeats the best boxer in the world it will be like anyone can do it. And it would be hilarious to see the backlash because Conor will run his gums like never before.”

But with the fight now just a matter of days away — concerns have been raised as to whether Mayweather is taking the contest as seriously as he should.

Earlier this week for example, he was filmed eating at a Burger King for the UFC-produced video series ‘Mayweather vs McGregor: Embedded’. Naturally, the footage met with a mixed reception online, with many wondering whether the food was suitable fuel for an athlete just days out from the biggest event of his career.

Not that Mayweather was too worried. “I have to eat Burger King to keep that weight on,” Mayweather laughs in the video while chewing on a burger. “Does it look like I’m scared of Conor McGregor? I just want to say this, thank you Dana White for bringing that b**** to the table.”

Of course, the online reaction was exaggerated by rabid McGregor fans keen to disparage Mayweather at any given opportunity, but the American’s light-hearted admission does allude to something more serious.

Mayweather has been left needing to pack the weigh on ahead of the fight because, as everybody knows, McGregor is the bigger man, with both a height and reach advantage over his rival.

Factor in the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s recent exemption for the fight to take place with 8oz rather than 10oz gloves, and it seems like a number of factors are beginning to fall in McGregor’s favour.

Mayweather’s attitude ahead of the fight was also called into question when he posted a belligerent message to his Twitter page, insisting that he would be spending the entire week ahead of the fight partying at his strip club, ‘Girl Collection’.

“That’s right… I am partying the entire week before my fight all the way through to next Monday following my fight, only at GIRL COLLECTION,” he wrote. “Bring your friends and meet me there.”

Has Mayweather underestimated McGregor? (Getty)

Of course, Mayweather’s dismissive attitude towards the fight could all be part of an elaborate ruse — and he showed on the frequently controversial world tour to promote the fight that he has well and truly abandoned the more sanguine outlook he adopted ahead of the fights against Berto and Manny Pacquaio — but the panicked reaction of his fans rather summed up the confused reaction to his invitation.

“Stop posting this crap and train harder,” one urged. “T*** won’t help you win a fight,” counselled another. “Stay focused.”

Mayweather remains the overwhelming favourite to beat McGregor and extend his astonishing record to 50-0, but there is little doubt his approach to this bewildering fight has been different. Either he is underestimating McGregor, or he really does appear to have as little respect for him as he says he does.