Conor McGregor spectacularly defied Floyd Mayweather’s prediction that he would fail to make the weight as they came to the scales before their mega-millions extravaganza.
The Notorious weighed in a full pound under the 154lbs weight limit. Mayweather was significantly but expectedly lighter at 149 1/2 lbs.
That put paid to the notion that his training may have been compromised by late, nightly visits to his strip club. McGregor returned to screaming at Mayweather come the stare down.
Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor both weighed in under the 154lb super-welterweight limit for their fight on Saturday
McGregor took to the scales first and, despite reports he was struggling to make weight, came in under the 154lb limit
Mayweather, meanwhile, came in more than four pounds under the super-welterweight limit, tipping the scales at 149 1/2lbs
The Irish UFC star accused the undefeated Mayweather of ‘being in the worst shape of his life and scared’ ahead of fight night
The two fighters posed for the assembled media following the weigh-in in front of a raucous crowd at the T-Mobile Arena
Mr Money laughed back in his face before McGregor accused the best boxer of his generation of ‘being in the worst shape of his life and scared.’
The more composed Mayweather riposted: ‘Don’t worry. I’ve been here before. This is not going the distance.’
McGregor received a boisterous Irish welcome as he entered the T-Mobile Arena draped in his country’s flag and sporting glasses hinged with sun lenses. Mayweather responded to his mixed reception by pointing to his white ‘The Best Ever’ baseball cap and T-shirt, smiling broadly and then warning fans of the Irishman: ‘This will be Conor McGregor’s last fight also.’
The coming to the scales of the two champions from different combat sports was preceded by a showing on giant screens of clips of their hostile world promotional tour, with the expletives bleeped out.
There were loud cheers for McGregor and boos for Mayweather but no unbecoming conduct by the rival boxing and UFC fans.
McGregor, who headed to the scales draped in the Irish flag, received immense support from those inside the T-Mobile Arena
The Irishman had to be held back by security staff as the 40-year-old Mayweather weighed in well under the 154lbs limit
McGregor screamed in the face of his undefeated opponent as they went face-to-face before their money-spinning bout
Mayweather, who remained silent in the face of McGregor’s shouting during the face-off, was booed by the Las Vegas crowd
‘He’s full of water. He’s not going to keep that pace,’ said McGregor of his opponent. That’s the worst shape I’ve ever seen him. He looks blown out, out of shape.
‘I’m going to breeze through him, trust me on that. I’m a professional, I make weight – its sacrifice, dedication, focus, but I make it. I’m ready.
‘I’m going to be a lot bigger than him tomorrow night, maybe closer to 170.’
Mayweather brushed off any potential advantage for McGregor over the size difference though after ending his two-year retirement.
‘Weight doesn’t win fights. Fighting wins fights,’ said the American.
A sizeable Irish contingent has travelled to Vegas to cheer the 29-year-old in action and he repeatedly saluted his supporters.
‘You can’t beat us, we’ve already taken over what we want,’ said McGregor.
‘Las Vegas is Ireland now.’
Mayweather, 40, provocatively wore green PaddyPower boxer shorts which bore the catchphrase ‘always bet on black’
The undefeated boxer stared and pointed at his Irish opponent as he tipped the scales well under the 154lb weight limit
McGregor, who hinted he will weigh around 170lbs on Saturday, promised to stand in the centre of the T-Mobile Arena ring
Mayweather was not phased by the partisan crowd though – even daring to wear Paddy Power green underwear.
He said: ‘The fans can’t fight for him. It comes down to the two competitiors.
‘In the 49 times I won out there, it was one on one.’
The two were a stark contrast in their behaviour as they posed head-to-head for the cameras after the weigh-in.
Mayweather was cool, calm and collected as he stared at McGregor, while the Irishman laughed, smiled and launched a verbal assault of trash talk.
It was only when they broke away that Mayweather broke into a smile and laughed at the UFC lightweight champion’s remarks.
But after an undefeated record as a former five-weight world champion, Mayweather stressed how he has been here and done it all before.
‘I’ve been here before. I know what it takes when it’s a fight of this magnitude,’ said Mayweather.
Britain’s Nathan Cleverly goes face-to-face with Badou Jack ahead of their light-heavyweight clash on the undercard
The Welshman weighed in at 174lbs 4oz, while his Las Vegas-based opponent tipped the scales at 174lbs 8oz on Friday night
Britain’s former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew was among the interested spectators at the T-Mobile Arena
‘I’ve done a lot of this (chatting) he’s done a lot of this, but tomorrow it comes down to the fighters.’
A public admission that there are plenty of tickets still for sale came with an announcement urging the crowd to stop by the box office on their way out to the Strip. How many could afford prices starting at $1,500 and rising sharply into five figures has always been questionable.
There was a sizeable crowd in the T-Mobile Arena but not yet the green tide predicted. The Irish contingent were the most vocal but did not appear the majority of a crowd of about 8,000 in the 20,000 capacity indoor stadium.
The high cost of hotels and tickets seems to have contributed to keeping the numbers of McGregor’s fellow countrymen well below the 30,000 mostly Mancunians who twice flocked to Sin City for Ricky Hatton’s battles with Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
Before the main event fighters took to the scales, those competing on the undercard weighed in at the T-Mobile Arena.
Nathan Cleverly and Badou Jack both made weight ahead of their light-heavyweight showdown. The Welshman weighed in at 174lbs 4oz, while his Las Vegas-based opponent tipped the scales at 174lbs 8oz on Friday night.
An hour later than scheduled Mayweather’s protege, IBF super-featherweight world champion Gervonta Davis, came in over the limit for the second fight in succession. He tipped the scales two pounds over the 130lb limit and has been stripped of his title, while his opponent Francisco Fonseca came in on the limit. Fonseca can now win the vacant belt.
Featherweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz was also in attendance for the weigh-in at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas