When Floyd Mayweather first suggested that he was going to apply to have the weight of the gloves for his upcoming fight with Conor McGregor switched from 10oz to 8oz, many people thought he was just playing mind games, but it turns out he was telling the truth.
Yesterday the Nevada State Athletic Commission officially confirmed that the boxing bout will now be fought with 8oz gloves on August 26th in Las Vegas.
That’s closer to the 4oz gloves that McGregor wears in his MMA fights and would appear to benefit him in terms of his chances of landing a knockout blow, and as such it’s no surprise that he’s pleased with the outcome.
“I’m very happy with how (the commission) handled it,” McGregor stated on a media call after the announcement. “They took both fighters’ requests into consideration, and I’m very happy with it. You’ve got pros and cons on both sides, and both athletes asking for it. I am coming up in weight on the gloves. Look at what I fight with (normally).”
Now McGregor is adjusting his sights in terms of how the fight will play out based on the change in glove size.
“Now the gloves are 8oz, I don’t believe he makes it out of the second round,” McGregor predicted. “Part of me is hoping that he can last – part of me wants to show some skill and dismantle him. But I don’t see him absorbing the blows in the first two rounds.”
NSAC also confirmed that Robert Byrd will be the referee on the night, and that’s also a move that McGregor fully approves of.
“Robert Byrd is a phenomenal ref. He lets the fight take place and steps in when he should step in. He has some links to the MMA world as well, so that’s good.”
