McGregor's coach: Mayweather fight a lot more than a 'payday'
When it was officially announced that Conor McGregor would cross over from the Octogan into the boxing ring to face Floyd Mayweather, not only did few give the Irishman a fighting chance, they also questioned his motives.
Many called the move a cash grab or a sideshow to generate attention for a sport that's lost its luster over the last two decades. However, if you ask McGregor's striking coach - former MMA fighter Owen Roddy - Saturday's fight is about a lot more than just money.
"People were on the fence about this, even in the MMA community, but when you see what he’s doing, the work rate and the effort that he puts in - it’s hard not to believe that he can do this," Roddy said, according to MMAFighting's Peter Carroll.
"Even just speaking to him you can tell that this isn’t a payday. This about proving people wrong and proving that he can do what many people feel is impossible.
"The thing is, with Conor, he proves people wrong all the time."
While the Dublin native may have proven people wrong in UFC circles, entering the ring will be an entirely different beast. One that, according to Roddy, McGregor is more than capable of handling.
"We’ve been doing this for four years now," said Roddy. "Every time what Conor does blows me away. I’ve seen firsthand what Conor has been doing in this camp and I know that he’s capable of knocking Mayweather out.
"There is no doubt in my mind. If everyone saw Conor in the gym, they would believe too."