Boxing Champ Talks Sparring Session With McGregor
With speculation on a possible ‘MMA vs Boxing’ bout between UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor and Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather running rampant, the fighting community went wild when footage surfaced of McGregor engaging in a sparing session with boxing veteran Chris Van Heerden.
In a recent interview with FightHype.com, Van Heerden commented on McGregor’s boxing ability:
“Conor comes with a boxing background. I was surprised how well he could handle it. His boxing is really not bad. I’d say after a full training camp where the focus is 100% boxing, he might just shock a lot of boxing fans,” Van Heerden said.
Van Heerden also gave McGregor some constructive criticism, giving the 145-pound champ tips on what he should work on to improve his boxing technique:
“I’d say he needs work on his footwork. Placing of feet and balance and knowing when to throw the right punch; not just throw anything out there.
He has a very good eye for timing and counter punching. I can tell you this, he will give a few boxers out there a really good go.”
While McGregor is well known for his powerful left hand, Van Heerden was not too impressed with the Irishman’s power:
“We were sparring with 16-ounce gloves. It’s like pillows (laughing), so it’s hard to tell. I was not at any point shocked.
Maybe I did expect a little more power. I will say this, Conor can throw and he has a puncher’s chance. He might just land on the spot once and it could mean trouble. But Floyd is TBE, 49-0 for a reason.”
Van Heerden then gave his two cents on McGregor’s chances inside the ring against Mayweather:
“After a good clean-up on skill, he will be in there for a few rounds, but the truth is Floyd will have his way. He is the master of boxing. No one beats Floyd.”
While both sides continue to tease the rumored boxing bout, neither McGregor nor Mayweather have yet to confirm anything as of now. You can check out McGregor’s sparing session with Van Heerden bellow:
