5 Keys to victory for Conor McGregor against Floyd Mayweather
As improbable as it seems and contrary to popular opinion, Conor McGregor does have a realistic chance when he steps into the professional boxing ring for the very first time on August 26th against Floyd Mayweather
Don't get me wrong here. I'm not trying to be politically correct and cover all the bases as responsible purveyors of combat sport are expected to do.
But it would seem that the phrase 'puncher's chance' was specifically invented for someone like Conor McGregor.
As the Irishman himself would tell you, he's "long, rangy, dangerous with both hands and confident as a motherf****r". Not to mention, as MMA guru Firas Zahabi christened it, he possesses the 'touch of death' on his left hand.
Now, McGregor is a phenomenal striker for Mixed Martial Arts standards. But crossing over into a sport that exclusively focuses on the dexterity of the hands, logic would dictate that he would fall short of the mark against the consensus greatest boxer of this generation.
But Conor McGregor seems almost bullish about his chances, even going as far as predicting that Floyd Mayweather will be knocked out within the first 4 rounds.
What fuels this obnoxious, buffetting confidence?
Does an MMA fighter see a chink in the impenetrable armour of Floyd Mayweather that 49 other top-level boxers failed to recognize thus far?
Or does he just believe in his own skill set so comprehensively that the man standing opposite him just doesn't matter?
Either way, for Conor McGregor to accomplish the unthinkable, there are a few key areas that he would do well to focus on.
Here are 5 of them.
#1 Taunt Floyd Mayweather
This picture of Conor McGregor fighting Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 with both his hands tied behind his back went viral.
It spoke to the astounding, almost misplaced confidence of a man who saw fit to tie his hands behind his back in a sport where even a second's lapse can leave you severely concussed.
Only, Conor McGregor destroyed Eddie Alvarez in that fight.
And against Floyd Mayweather - who is not known for being a power puncher - that could be a tactic that the Irishman could yet again choose to employ.
Talking trash to Floyd during the fight or goading him into a false move by letting his guard down may actually be a worthy risk-to-reward investment for McGregor.
It could coax the supremely calculated boxer into an ill-advised move, which McGregor can then capitalize on.
When used at the right junctures in a fight, mental warfare has been known to pay rich dividends.
And being such a master at it, it would be foolish for Conor to not use all the weapons in his arsenal.