LAS VEGAS: A stony-faced Floyd Mayweather issued a warning to Conor McGregor on Wednesday as the two fighters faced off just three days ahead of their money-spinning boxing duel.
In stark contrast to their lurid, trash-talking global press tour last month, a subdued McGregor and a stern-looking Mayweather spoke respectfully as they prepared for Saturday鈥檚 12-round boxing contest at the T-Mobile Arena.
Mayweather, who bombarded McGregor with expletives and homophobic slurs during last month鈥檚 frenzied publicity blitz, did not swear once during Wednesday鈥檚 news conference.
McGregor, the massive underdog for this weekend鈥檚 bout, restricted himself to verbally abusing a heckler in the audience who predicted he would be knocked out.
McGregor faces his first ever professional boxing contest against Mayweather, the undefeated former welterweight king who has come out of a two-year retirement to take on the Irish mixed martial arts star.
However, McGregor, the 29-year-old two-time UFC world champion from Dublin, insisted he was ready to stun the world of combat sports by upsetting Mayweather.
鈥淏een to a lot of these crazy press conferences,鈥� said McGregor. 鈥淭his is a lot more subdued. More business-like, the way I like it.鈥�
鈥淲e are prepared for 12 three-minute rounds of non-stop pace. We are prepared, I will put pressure on him and break this old man. Trust me on that.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 see him lasting two rounds. I feel I have the decision to end it inside one.鈥�
Mayweather, 40, looked relaxed throughout, even taking time to quietly admonish members of his entourage who had shouted at McGregor.
And rather than the abuse of last month, Mayweather praised McGregor as a 鈥渉elluva fighter, a stand-up guy and a tough competitor.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not going to be an easy fight,鈥� Mayweather said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be blood sweat and tears. 鈥淗e鈥檚 the best at what he do, I鈥檓 the best at what I do. It comes down to the two competitors going out there and displaying our skills.鈥�
But Mayweather鈥檚 words came with a warning for McGregor.
鈥淎fter 21 years I鈥檝e been hit with everything and I鈥檓 still right here,鈥� Mayweather said.
鈥淎nd if you give it, you must be able to take it. There have been plenty of guys who talked a lot of trash, but when it鈥檚 all said and done, I came out victorious.
鈥淚鈥檝e said it鈥檚 not going the distance and you can mark my words.
鈥淎nything and everything in boxing that can be done, I鈥檝e done it. I was born a fighter, I will die a fighter.鈥�
McGregor is hoping his punching power can catch Mayweather out on Saturday. But the American veteran warned he had faced plenty of hard hitters before.
鈥淢anny Pacquiao got bombs, Canelo (Alvarez) got bombs, Shane Mosley got bombs. But remember this 鈥� I got a great chin. And the same way you give it, you鈥檝e got to be able to take it.鈥�
McGregor, meanwhile, laughed off suggestions from his opponent earlier this week that he may struggle to make the 154-pound limit at Friday鈥檚 weigh-in.
鈥淚鈥檝e never missed weight in my life and it won鈥檛 be happening this time,鈥� McGregor said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had my nutritionist practically living with me throughout camp.鈥�
The showdown between Mayweather and McGregor was confirmed in June after a protracted guessing game about whether the two fighters from different sports would ever meet.
Saturday鈥檚 bout could become the most lucrative fight in history according to Showtime Sports television executive Stephen Espinoza.
Mayweather could add another $200 million to his career earnings depending on pay-per-view sales while McGregor, who only four years ago was a struggling former plumber鈥檚 apprentice living on welfare, could collect $100 million.
This will be the most widely distributed pay per view in history,鈥� Espinoza said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not hyperbole, that鈥檚 fact. We are well on the way to a record-setting event.鈥�