Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor come face to face once again at final press conference ahead of super-fight

Mayweather and McGregor came face to face at their final press conference, with the American seizing the opportunity to tell his opponent to back up his trash-talk

Luke Brown
Las Vegas
Wednesday 23 August 2017 22:50 BST
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The two came face to face at their final press conference before the fight
The two came face to face at their final press conference before the fight (Getty)

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Floyd Mayweather warned Conor McGregor that the time has come for the Irishman to back up his trash talk, at a rather subdued final press conference ahead of their super-welterweight fight on Saturday night.

After Tuesday night’s chaotic Grand Arrivals ceremony, the final press conference was a much more restrained affair, held at MGM Grand’s luxurious KÀ Theatre.

McGregor made Mayweather wait backstage for over 40-minutes before he arrived with his entourage, but it was the American who perhaps landed the more telling blows at the news conference.

He warned McGregor that he is entering his territory having swapped the Octagon for the boxing ring, before adding that he “must be able to take it as well as give it”.

“One thing he must know about the sport of boxing and about combat sport, is that if you give it, you must be able to take it,” Mayweather said, to cheers from members of his family sitting alongside members of the world’s media.

“I've faced 47 opponents. They all said I have brittle hands or that I'm a scared guy, or that I can’t take particular types of shots, but listen. Last time I checked nobody has walked me down.

“It’s called smarts, it's called having the IQ and having patience. From day one everything my dad taught me, I know today. Every combination that was taught to me, I still know.

“Everything in boxing that can be done, I've done it, a thousand times. I was born a fighter and I'll die a fighter.”

Mayweather’s more reserved approach to the press conference appeared to catch McGregor by surprise, especially after the chaos of the night before.

But the Irishman still found time for some bombast — as he claimed that he was willing to bet his share of the fight’s huge purse on a Mayweather defeat.

When heckled by a member of Mayweather’s entourage claiming McGregor wouldn’t bet his share of the takings, he replied: “No problem, we can bet the purse.

“No problem. Believe me, I am going to f*** your boy up.”

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