e_Paper, Friday, August 25, 2017

20
FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2017
DT
Sports
Mayweather, McGregor get down to business
• AFP, United States
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
tomorrow’s 12-round boxing contest
at the T-Mobile Arena.
Mayweather, who bombarded
McGregor with expletives and
homophobic slurs during last
month’s frenzied publicity blitz,
did not swear once during Wednesday’s
news conference.
McGregor, the massive underdog
for this weekend’s 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-yearold
two-time UFC world champion
from Dublin, insisted he was ready
to stun the world of combat sports
by upsetting Mayweather.
“Been to a lot of these crazy
press conferences,” said McGregor.
“This is a lot more subdued. More
business-like, the way I like it.”
“We are prepared for 12
three-minute rounds of non-stop
Floyd Mayweather Jr of the US and Conor McGregor of Ireland pose during a news conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday
pace. We are prepared, I will put
pressure on him and break this old
man. Trust me on that.
“I don’t see him lasting two
rounds. I feel I have the decision to
end it inside one.”
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 “helluva fighter, a stand-up
guy and a tough competitor.”
“It’s not going to be an easy
fight,” Mayweather said. “It’s going
to be blood sweat and tears. “He’s
the best at what he do, I’m the best
at what I do. It comes down to the
two competitors going out there
and displaying our skills.”
But Mayweather’s words came
with a warning for McGregor.
“After 21 years I’ve been hit with
everything and I’m still right here,”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic signs new oneyear
contract with Man Utd
• Reuters
Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic
has returned to Manchester United on
a year-year contract “to finish what I
started,” the 35-year-old announced
in a club statement yesterday.
“It was always mine and the
club’s intention for me to stay. I
cannot wait to get back out on that
Old Trafford pitch” he said. “I am
back to finish what I started.”
Ibrahimovic has not played since
May after suffering a knee ligament
injury in the 2-1 Europa League win
over Anderlecht. He underwent
surgery which was expected to
keep him out for the rest of the year
and, in Thursday’s statement, Ibrahimovic
suggested he is not ready
to make an immediate return.
“I know that I have to take my
time to make sure that I am ready,”
he said.
Although United released the
much travelled striker after his
one-year contract expired in June,
he was allowed to use their training
ground to recuperate and has
recently posted on Instagram to
prove his fitness.
“I have been working hard and
will continue to do so to make sure
I am in the best possible condition
for my return to the pitch,” he said.
Ibrahimovic, who will wear the
number 10 shirt, scored 28 goals
in 46 appearances for the club last
season, helping them to win the
EFL Cup and Europa Cup.
Manager Jose Mourinho indicated
that he is looking to the Swede
to play an important part in the
second part of the season.
“We are delighted Zlatan is on
the road to recovery and we are
equally delighted to have his ambition
and experience back with us,”
said Mourinho. “After his contribution
last season he deserves our
trust and we will be patient waiting
for him to return. I have no doubt
that he will be important in the second
part of the season.”
United are joint top of the league
after winning both their opening
matches, scoring eight goals without
reply against West ham United
and Swansea City. Three of the
goals have been scored by Romelu
Lukaku, a 75m pound replacement
for Ibrahimovic from Everton.
Mourinho is well stocked with
striking options, including Marcus
Rashford and Anthony Martial. •
Mayweather said.
“And 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’s all said and
done, I came out victorious.
“I’ve said it’s not going the distance
and you can mark my words.
“Anything and everything
in boxing that can be done, I’ve
done it. I was born a fighter, I will
die a fighter.”
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.
“Manny Pacquiao got bombs,
Canelo (Alvarez) got bombs, Shane
Mosley got bombs. But remember
this - I got a great chin. And the
same way you give it, you’ve got to
be able to take it.”
McGregor meanwhile laughed
off suggestions from his opponent
earlier this week that he may struggle
to make the 154-pound limit at
Friday’s weigh-in.
“I’ve never missed weight in my
life and it won’t be happening this
time,” McGregor said. “I’ve had my
nutritionist practically living with
me throughout camp.”
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.
Tomorrow’s 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’s apprentice living on welfare,
could collect $100m.
“This will be the most widely
distributed pay per view in history,”
Espinoza said. “That’s not hyperbole,
that’s fact. We are well on the
way to a record-setting event.” •
Neymar announces
lawsuit as row with
Barca intensifies
• Reuters, Barcelona
Neymar’s acrimonious split from
Barcelona escalated yesterday
as the Paris St Germain forward
announced plans to sue the Liga
club, two days after Barca revealed
they were suing the Brazilian over
breach of contract.
Reports in the Spanish media
said that Neymar had filed a lawsuit
via soccer’s world governing
body against Barca for an unpaid
loyalty bonus of 26m euros
($30.69m), which was included in
the last contract the player signed
with the Catalan side in November
2016.
Fifa confirmed to Reuters that
they had “received a claim from
Neymar against FC Barcelona” and
said the matter was being investigated.
PSG smashed the world transfer
record earlier this month by triggering
the 222m euro buyout clause
in the contract.
On Tuesday, Barca said they
were suing Neymar for 8.5m euros
as they want him to return the
bonus he was paid when he signed
the five-year deal.
The bonus Barca referred to is
separate to the 26m euro payment,
according to reports in Spain.
Neymar’s management group
N & N Consultoria responded in
a statement on Tuesday that the
player had fulfilled the terms of the
contract, as well as stating it was
planning legal action.
The player’s lawsuit against Barca
is the latest chapter of an increasingly
bitter split between Neymar
and the club which catapulted him
to world fame by signing him from
Santos in 2013 and with whom he
won two La Liga titles, three Copa
del Reys and the 2015 Uefa Champions
League crown. •