UFC President Dana White believes the critics are underplaying the possibility of Conor McGregor upsetting the odds when he faces five division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Ireland’s McGregor will be the heavy underdog against 49-0 Mayweather. Mayweather and McGregor -- kingpins of their sports -- will face each other over 12 rounds in a boxing match at Las Vegas's T-Mobile Arena on August 26.
Neither has fought this year. Mayweather, 40, retired from pro boxing in 2015 after defeating Andre Berto, while McGregor (21-3) beat Eddie Alvarez last November.
The critics have labeled McGregor as a huge underdog and believe he has absolutely no business being in a boxing ring with someone like Mayweather, who lost very few rounds in the last decade of his career and considered by many to be one of the best defensive fighters in boxing history.
White conducted an interview with sports channel TSN and said McGregor, while a massive underdog in the fight, should not be completely counted out from the fight - especially with the fight taking place at the junior middleweight limit of 154-pounds and McGregor being a much bigger fighter.
"I don't see Floyd Mayweather as this indestructible, undefeatable guy," White said. "Is he slick? Can he try to stay away from Conor? Can he move? Can he roll with the punches? Can he do all that? Absolutely. But in a 12 round fight, Conor McGregor will at least hit him a couple of times."
"Floyd Mayweather's going to fight at 154 pounds against a monster! Conor McGregor is huge.I don't think people are really going to realize -- you know, all this talk about, all the guys saying 'Floyd's going to destroy him! Floyd's going to destroy him! Wait til they meet face to face for the first time and square off, and people see the difference in the size between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather."