By Keith Idec
LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather Jr. weighed in 4½ pounds below the 154-pound limit on Friday afternoon for his fight against Conor McGregor.
Mayweather’s antagonistic opponent isn’t impressed. The boorish Irishman claimed following their weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena that Mayweather appeared out of shape a day before their 12-round boxing match.
“He looks like dogsh*t,” McGregor told Showtime’s Jim Gray following the weigh-in. “You know that – full of water. He’s not gonna keep my pace; trust me on that. That’s the worst shape I’ve ever seen him.”
Mayweather seemed to be in condition similar to how he appeared for his previous fights.
Nevertheless, Mayweather turned 40 six months ago, hasn’t fought in nearly two years and came out of retirement to fight a UFC superstar who continually called him out until their seemingly far-fetched fight became a reality. McGregor believes Mayweather’s time away from the gym hurt him in his preparation for their Showtime Pay-Per-View main event.
“That’s the worst shape I’ve ever seen him,” McGregor said. “He looks blown out, out of shape. I’m gonna breeze through him. Trust me on that.”
The 29-year-old McGregor weighed in at 153 pounds, one below boxing’s limit for the junior middleweight division. The two-division UFC champion continued to dismiss rumors that he had unusual difficulty making weight.
“I’m a professional,” McGregor said. “I make weight. It’s sacrifice, it’s dedication, it’s focus. But I make it and that’s it. Look at me, I’m in peak physical condition. I put in the work. As everyone can tell, I’m ready.”
McGregor guessed that he’ll enter the ring Saturday night “close to 170” pounds, “a lot bigger than” Mayweather.
The grateful Dublin native also expressed appreciation for thousands of loud, proud Irish fans that packed T-Mobile Arena on Friday for the weigh-in.
“There’s a saying, ‘You’ll never beat the Irish,’ and that’s it,” McGregor said. “We roll in and we take over wherever we want. Las Vegas is Ireland now.”
The ever-confident McGregor promised them that he’ll be able to take it just as well as he gives it against the heavily favored Mayweather.
“I’ll stomp my foot right in the center of that ring,” McGregor said. “I won’t go nowhere, other than the center of that ring. So let’s go. Let’s see who can take it. He’s over there twiddling his thumbs, twitching away. I see a man afraid. That’s it. We’ll see tomorrow.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.