Conor McGregor has posted photos on social media of him landing blows on a sparring partner during training for his lucrative showdown with five division world champion Floyd Mayweather.
The mixed martial artist faces Mayweather at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on August 26 in a contest that will be staged under normal boxing rules.
One of the photos published on his official Instagram account shows a bare-chested McGregor finding his target above the caption of "Left uppercut. Southpaw".
The 28-year-old Irishman can also be seen connecting with a left jab, the picture accompanied by the words "Full 74 inch reach. And I'm in Orthodox".
And with his opponent seen backed up against the ropes in a third photo, McGregor writes "Get into that corner".
Few are expecting the UFC lightweight champion to trouble Mayweather despite his punching power and he has been installed as a 5-1 underdog by bookmakers.
He trained at a gym in his native Dublin as a youngster but has never previously boxed as an amateur or professional, while former multi-weight world champion Mayweather, now 40-years-old, compiled a 49-0 record before retiring two years ago.
Although Conor McGregor is marketed as a charismatic Irishman with an unhealthy obsession with money and three piece suits, 'The Notorious' is also a dedicated student of combat sports and, mixed martial arts, in particular.
According to head coach John Kavanagh, who has been training with McGregor since he was a youngster, the UFC lightweight king is motivated by the challenge of beating Mayweather - and not the money. McGregor is expected to make $100 million for the bout - far beyond what he's ever earned in the UFC.
"It’s not money that’s motivating him anymore,” Kavanagh told The MMA Hour. “[Instead of fighting] he could very easily make similar money from doing some movies or doing endorsements. It’s the challenge. That’s why he’s in the gym laughing every day. If he left the gym now and stopped fighting, what would he do with his free time? You can only sit in one car at a time, you can only have one meal at a time. Eventually you want to do something that’s enjoyable to you. And that would be Conor drifting back into the gym. It’s what’s enjoyable to him.”
“The motivation for this fight was not money, though of course it’s nice to be well paid for what you do. It was the challenge. And to be told again it’s impossible to do what he’s saying clearly what he is about to do.”