Floyd Mayweather Jr. made a rare concession for Conor McGregor very recently by allowing the boxing gloves in their August bout to be 8 ounces. Conor of course is used to the 4 oz gloves with finger holes designed for both striking and grappling in the UFC so this may ease the frustration of MMA fans. Mayweather could have made the fight with gloves as high as 16 oz pillows which would hinder McGregor’s speed and make it harder for the punches to get through Mayweather’s defenses. Oddly, and probably with a sound strategy in mind the decision was made for 8 oz. The question is why?

CONFIDENCE OR ARROGANCE?

The first on this list is for McGregor to be given a better chance and maybe make the fight more interesting for Floyd. In my opinion this is not necessarily arrogance, but more confidence. Floyd has fought and defeated guys like Canelo Alvarez, Shane Mosley, and Oscar De La Hoya who are all three amazing boxers. McGregor hasn’t fought once in the boxing ring as a pro and the guys mentioned above would most likely maul him to a KO loss. Canelo is the second best boxer in the world right now in my humble opinion. His only loss? Mayweather. GGG is second, but an argument could be made for him being the top guy in the sport. Again, either of these two would probably kill Conor. So the reason has to be confidence after Floyd beat guys like Alvarez who have stellar records inside the squared circle.

FAIR FIGHT

Floyd may actually want this to be competitive and not only for him but for the fans. Mayweather has never backed down from a challenge yet the challenges are carefully chosen when the timing is absolutely right. Floyd picks what happens in and out of the ring with a sound strategy in mind and doesn’t just make decisions on a whim. There is a tactical reason for Mayweather to allow 8 oz gloves and it is probably not to give McGregor a better chance. It could also benefit Floyd who has blazing fast hand speed and could sneak some punches through Conor’s defensive stance. Hopefully, for his sake, Conor is using the best supplements from predator nutrition in his training.

DEFENSE

Floyd is considered the greatest defensive boxer of all time and has flustered almost all of his opponents. He has been rocked noticeably very few times and he seems to be a second ahead of his opponent’s punches when it counts. If you have ever sparred or boxed then you know how small openings can be against a more experienced pugilist. Big gloves tend to meet forearms and fists more than the face on a bad day. One would think that would benefit McGregor and it does if he can actually connect. It also means Floyd will most likely have an easier time in the ring because he can find holes in even the most seasoned boxer’s game.

TICKET SALES

I’m going with this as the reason. The ticket sales for their fight in Vegas on August 26 are sluggish. Some of them are in the five figure range and some may go for more. If this was GGG vs. Mayweather then it might have sold out instantly with the rich dedicated boxing fans shelling out cash. Conor vs. Floyd is like a Wrestlemania entertainment attraction and some may be hesitant to buy tickets for a fight they believe will last less than a round. With the allowance of 8 oz gloves the PR spin is that Conor is now more dangerous than ever and has a great chance of connecting. They are still boxing gloves, it is still a boxing ring, and McGregor still has no pro boxing bouts yet this might actually boost ticket sales.

What do you think? Can Conor make it happen on August 26?

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