In separate interviews this week, former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith have both been giving boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather some advice about his potential crossover to fighting in MMA.
Cruz was blunt in his assessment when asked by TMZ Sports whether Mayweather could successfully transition over to MMA in 6-8 months, saying that he could beat him with just one hand.
Cruz did have some advice for the legendary fighter if he was serious about taking a leap into the unknown though.
“I’ll give him a hint,” Cruz said. “Focus on your takedown defense no matter who your fighting. Don’t worry about anything else, Floyd Mayweather. Just takedown defense.”
However, Cruz admitted that its likely Mayweather was already thinking along those lines due to the fact that he’s aligning himself with current UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, who proved that he’s a master at keeping fights upright when he repeatedly prevented grappling wizard Damien Maia from getting him to the mat last year.
Nevertheless, Cruz doesn’t think even the help of elite professionals like Woodley will be enough for ‘Money’.
“6-8 months just isn’t going to be enough, I’m sorry,” Cruz stated.
Meanwhile, on ESPN’s First Take show, boxing analyst Stephen A. Smith was even more blunt in his recommendations to Mayweather about his rumored switch to the Octagon.
“If my man Leonard Elerbie called me, if Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather called me and told me themselves, ‘we’re doing this,’ I’d be like, ‘what the hell is wrong with y’all? Stop the nonsense, stop the madness, stop wasting our time,” Smith ranted.
“He has no business even thinking about such a thing! One of the greatest fighters to have ever lived, but this is MMA. This is different, with kicks and chokeholds and elbows and wrestling comes into play. Just stop it! Stop it right now!”
