Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor: Read the full transcript from their explosive LA press conference
The first press conference ahead of the Las Vegas super-fight was predictably bombastic
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather and mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor traded barbs during a lively press conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday, delighting a rowdy crowd ahead of their Aug. 26 fight in Las Vegas.
The media conference was the first in a four-day international tour promoting the bout.
The contrasts between the two was immediately apparent as McGregor, wearing a navy pinstriped suit and tie, danced around the stage smiling while Mayweather, wearing a track suit with American flag details, looked on stonefaced.
As is expected in the bout, McGregor was the aggressor, wasting no time bringing up reports that Mayweather earlier this month asked the IRS for more time to pay his 2015 tax bill.
Read the full transcript from the explosive press conference here…
Dana White: What’s up Los Angeles! Ladies and gentlemen, the reigning and defending 155lb champion of the UFC, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor.
Conor McGregor: Baby, we did it. I couldn’t hear anything those motherf***ers said, thank f***. This boxing press conference is a completely different set up to what we’re used to, but 20,000 people, it’s mind-blowing. I’m absolutely honoured to be here before you, to give you this great spectacle. And somebody’s 0 has got to go!
He’s in a f***ing tracksuit! He can’t even afford a suit anymore. He is f***ed. There’s no other way about it. His little legs, his little car, his little head. I’m going to knock him out inside four rounds, mark my words.
I always said I will eventually rise up and be in association with — if you zoom in right there over my left shoulder, you can see on the poster — McGregor Sports and Entertainment. I rose up and I became ‘in association with’, what can I say?
I’m a young, confident, happy man, that has worked extremely hard for this. I have worked very, very hard for this. So I am just up here embracing everything. Nobody’s going to do nothing, nobody can do nothing up here to me. I can do what the f*** I want up here, so I’m just enjoying myself, having a good time.
And that’s it, as far as the fight ... he will be unconscious inside four rounds. The movement, the power, the ferociousness — he’s not experienced this. He’s fought people who have shied away from him.
I don’t fear him. I don’t fear this limited set of fighting. This is a limited set of rules that makes this half a fight, a quarter of a fight. This isn’t a true fight. If this was a true fight, it wouldn’t even take one round.
How’s this suit look? It’s a cracker. In August, McGregor line, I’ve got my own line of suits coming out. If you zoom in on the pinstripe it says, “f*** you”.
Now look, I’m just blessed. This press conference is a little different, they’re trying to catch me off guard all over the place. Just trying everything, I didn’t even know I had to give a speech. But I’m just enjoying it.
All these rules, all these restrictions, it doesn’t faze me, it amuses me. The gloves. They have to be 10 ounce. 154 lbs, he’s never fought at 154, I think he’s fought at 154 maybe once. He wants the gloves up, no problem, give him the gloves up. I’ll wear 10 ounces. No Mexican made gloves, OK, no problem. No gloves made out of horse hair, no problem, I don’t give a f***.
We’re only wearing gloves in our game about five years. So I don’t give a s*** about gloves or any of that. I’m just enjoying it. It’s funny to me, all these rules. All I need is a gum shield, line me up to the ring and I’m good to go.
I don’t know what else to say I’m just feeling so good, I swear to god I can’t even contain it! Ciao to my little son, Conor Jr watching back home. I’m a daddy now! He is the perfect motivation for me to go and once again conquer the supposed unconquerable. My little boy, to provide for him and to provide for him and to set him up for life, I mean what more motivation could you need?
I just look at him and it’s like, it pushes me on to keep going and keep doing these record breaking events.
I mean, no-one’s done this s*** before, you gotta give me that. No-one’s done this. No MMA guy has crossed over like this. There’s been a few times in history where people have crossed over. Muhammad Ali fought Antonio Inoki in Japan many years ago under MMA rules. He thought at the time that was a wrestling contest so that wasn’t like this.
Then James Toney, who had a very big problem with the sport and a problem with the UFC, very similar to the way Floyd has, but he crossed over into our world. Floyd has a problem but doesn’t want to come over and deal with it. He wants me to come over his side. That’s no problem, I’ll do that. That’s confidence.
Look, let’s get this world tour started. Let’s have fun. Thank you so much everybody. I appreciate it.
Leonard Ellerbe: LA, We’d like to welcome the undefeated, 12-time world champion in five different weight classes. The best ever. The undisputed pound for pound world champion. None other than Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather.
Floyd Mayweather Jnr: Hard work!
Audience: Dedication!
FM: Hard work!
A: Dedication!
FM: Hard work!
A: Dedication!
FM: Hard work!
A: Dedication!
FM: I still got it. All work is what?
A: Easy work!
FM: All work is what?
A: Easy work!
FM: Well point to the easy work then. 21 is the number. And they say, ‘Why is 21 the number?’ Because that’s how long I’ve been kicking a**.
I don’t give a f*** if it’s the ring, I don’t give a f*** if it’s the, if it’s the octagon. Put me in there and I’m a’kick a**.
CM: Don’t be talking s***. You do give a f*** if it’s in the octagon.
FM: All work is what?
A: Easy work!
FM: All work is what?
A: Easy work!
FM: Well point to the f***ing easy work then. Aw, y’all already know. Y’all already know I ain’t, y’all already know I ain’t b****in’ man. I don’t back down for no-motherf***ing-body. You line ‘em up and I knock ‘em down like bowling pins. In August 26, I’m a’knock this b**** out too.
CM: Yeh right. You haven’t knocked nobody out in about 20 years!
FM: [Starts shadow boxing on stage]
CM: Dance for me, boy. Dance for me, son, dance for me.
FM: Hey give me that backpack. Give me that backpack. [Removes cheque from backpack]. Let me show you motherf***ers what a $100 million fighter look like. [Holds up cheque]. Still got $100 million and ain’t ever need to touch this s***.
CM: Give that to the tax man.
FM: You right. I’m the IRS and I’m a’tax your a**.
CM: You’re not gonna do s***.
FM: Yeh, we knew I was the A-side, that’s why it say Mayweather first. We knew I was the A-side, that’s why this b**** had to come to the boxing ring. Yeh he look good for a seven-figure fighter. He look good for an eight-figure fighter. But motherf***er I’m a nine-figure fighter. And y’all know what? This b**** made $3 million his last fight. Well we know that’s training camp money for me.
MGM Grand, I wanna thank the MGM Grand, I wanna thank Showtime, I wanna thank the MMA fans, I wanna say thank you to Conor McGregor. I wanna thank you and your team. I gotta thank Dana White, because it takes two warriors to bring an event like this together. The two biggest names in combat sports did this. So I didn’t do this by myself. This man [McGregor] played a major part in this fight. But August 26, that’s your a**. That’s your a**.
You name ‘em and I’ll beat ‘em. We talking about from the 90s to now. We talking about world champion, 18 years. But you know what? It’s no problem. He said, ‘Oh Mayweather I look good in my suit’. I said, ‘Guess what, August 26 we gonna have on the same thing, it’s gonna be the same results, it’s gonna be the same results’.
And if you want 8 ounce gloves, let’s put 8 ounce gloves on! If you want 4 ounce gloves, let’s put 4 ounce gloves on! Don’t fool the public. Don’t fool the public.
CM: Let’s do it with 4 ounce.
FM: Hard work!
A: Dedication!
FM: Hard work!
A: Dedication!
FM: Hard work!
A: Dedication!
FM: Hard work!
A: Dedication!
FM: Yeh, we gonna get off in that a**. We gonna get off in that a**, that’s what we gonna do.
And guess what, I’m an old man, I’m an old man. I’m not the same man I was 20 years ago, I’m not the same fighter I was 10 years ago, I’m not the same fighter I was five years, I’m not the same fighter I was two years ago. But I got enough to beat you.
And we know, we know ‘Mr Tap Out’ like to quit, and you will wave that white flag. Because you can choose which way you want to go. And I’m guaranteeing you this. You’re going out on your face or you’re going out on your back. Now which way you want to go? Which way you want to go?
That’s right. Sit quiet you little b****. Talking about my defence, talking about oh I got good defence. All you got to do is show up, you just show up and I’m going to do the rest.
CM: I’m here right now.
FM: You just show up and I’m going to do the rest.
CM: I’m here right now.
FM: You can get it right now.
CM: Do something.
FM: You can get it right now.
CM: Do something.
FM: You can get it right now.
CM: Do something.
FM: You can get it right now. Talking that s***.
Y’all want me to give it to him right now? Right now? No, we’re going to save that for the payday, we gonna save that for the money. You know. Listen. You can do whatever you wanna do. You can scream for whoever you wanna scream for. You can shout for whoever you wanna shout for. God don’t make mistakes, and God only made one thing perfect, and that’s my boxing record.
Hey don’t we gotta pose the fighters now? Face-to-face.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments