It’s getting real.The first press conference for the Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor fight took place on July 11, only a day after reports about Mayweather’s petition to the IRS surfaced. Some boxing fans said they don’t plan on buying the fight themselves on pay-per-view, because they view Mayweather, an undefeated professional boxer, as such an overwhelming favorite over McGregor, a fighter that’s never been in a professional boxing match. The trash-talk filled press conference might have changed some of those original opinions, however.
Trash talk is a staple of fight promotions, but with the two most charismatic athletes in combat sports, it gets just that much more interesting. Approximately 20,000 people showed up to see the debut press conference for this fight in Los Angeles. The majority of the crowd booed Mayweather and embraced McGregor. While waiting for Mayweather at the beginning of the conference, McGregor began dancing on stage to the crowd in a three-piece tailored suit fully decorated with the two words of “f–k you” repeated in a tiny font. Constant gum-chewing also added to McGregor’s appearance of unshakable confidence. Mayweather eventually made his way to the stage wearing an American flag-themed sweatsuit.
“He’s in a f—ing tracksuit!” McGregor said to the crowd while pointing at Mayweather. “He can’t even afford a suit anymore.”
During Mayweather’s turn of trash talk, he began shadow-boxing around the podium, prompting McGregor to get up, make the motions of throwing money and telling Mayweather to “dance for me, boy!” Mayweather responded by calling for his bookbag. In the bag, Mayweather pulled out a $100M check that he bragged about not even depositing yet. The check prompted McGregor to go at Mayweather’s financial situation again.
“That’s to the tax man,” McGregor said about the $100M.
“You right!” Mayweather said in a quick reply. “I’m the IRS. And imma tax yo a–!”
The tour continues for the rest of the week in Toronto on July 12, New York City on July 13 and London on July 14.
