Abel Sanchez, trainer for IBF, IBO, WBC, WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, expects a complete mismatch if a deal is finalized for Floyd Mayweather Jr. to face UFC superstar Conor McGregor in a cross-sports boxing match.
Talks to make that fight have been going on for a year, but they recent intensified after the UFC, who have an exclusive contract with McGregor, finalized the financial terms on their end. McGregor has signed his portion of the deal with the UFC, and now it's up to UFC President Dana White to reach a deal with Mayweather and his adviser Al Haymon.
“It’s an amateur against a pro,” Abel Sanchez said of a Mayweather-McGregor match to the NY Post. “[McGregor] has never had a boxing match. As long as you can’t take a boxer to the ground, the boxer is going to beat you. McGregor will find that out, and also Floyd is the best fighter of our era.”
Mayweather retired back in September 2015 after winning a twelve round unanimous decision over Andre Berto. In March, he announced that he would unretire to pursue a fight with McGregor.
Mayweather left the sport with a record of 49-0 and 26 knockouts. He believes a fight with McGregor should count on his boxing record as a "50th" win - which in turn would break the unbeaten streak of former heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano.
Sanchez respects Mayweather and considers him to be a great fighter, but he would hate to see him end his career with McGregor being number 50.
“It gives Floyd his 50th win, but I don’t think people are going to look at it the same way they would have had he beaten a boxer. “I would hate to see that happen because Floyd has had such a great career to go out like that, breaking the record against an amateur. I don’t think it would be right. If Floyd came back tomorrow, he’d still be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world,” Sanchez said.
ADD COMMENT VIEW COMMENTS (65)