Mayweather vs. McGregor fight week continued on Wednesday after the main event final press conference with open media workouts for fighters competing on the undercard this Saturday, Aug. 26 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The four-fight SHOWTIME PPV event, beginning live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, will feature undefeated rising star Gervonta “Tank” Davis making the second defense of his IBF Junior Lightweight World Championship against undefeated challenger Francisco Fonseca plus light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly defending his belt against former super middleweight champion Badou Jack. The telecast begins with unbeaten Andrew Tabiti and former world champion Steve Cunningham meeting in a 10-round battle.
Coverage begins on FOX and FOX Deportes with a one-hour Prefight Show at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. Prelims on FOX and FOX Deportes begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will see a battle between welterweight contenders Thomas Dulorme and Yordenis Ugas plus a showdown of unbeaten prospects as Juan Heraldez meets Jose Miguel Borrego in a 10-round bout.
Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from MGM Grand:
GERVONTA DAVIS
“It feels great being a 22-year-old world champion on the biggest card in fight sports history. I’m ready to shine.
“I’ve watched Fonseca and he’s a tough, undefeated opponent who has a high work rate and good defense. My team has a great game plan for this fight and there are several things we plan to do in order to successfully defend my belt.
“It feels great being the youngest U.S. champion and I’m happy that I’m making my fans and the city of Baltimore proud.
“I just want to keep winning, look spectacular while doing so and keep building towards being that next PPV superstar in boxing. Keep supporting me and I’ll fight for you.”
FRANCISCO FONSECA
“I’m taking in the moment and enjoying it. I’ve always dreamed of being on a card like this, it just so happens to be the biggest card in combat sports history. I’ve trained hard to take this title away.
“I’m an athlete. I can box or I can go forward and apply pressure. I can dominate at all three distances; it just depends on the opponent.
“Gervonta is a good fighter. He has respectable power but I don’t believe it’s true knockout power. I have a game plan to win this fight.
“I will be the first world champion from Costa Rica and that’s what it’s all about. I fight for my family and my country.”
NATHAN CLEVERLY
“This is a real good feeling. I’m loving the moment. I’m on the biggest stage in the boxing world. This is already a big fight between me and Jack but to be on this historic stage is truly special.
“Jack is a good, solid fighter. He’s a good operator. It’s going to be a good fight and a tough one. I’m going to take him on and get the win.
“It’s not a huge jump in weight but I think at some point in the fight he will feel the difference. At this level, it’s different than what he’s used to.
“I’m always learning in this sport. I have more experience and I’ve matured as a person and as a fighter. All around I’ve taken big steps to become a world champion again and I’m not planning to lose my title.
“It’s going to be an intense fight. There will be a lot of big exchanges of punches. Ultimately, my experience as an established light heavyweight will make the difference. I think I’ll win this fight by a wide decision.”
BADOU JACK
“I know Cleverly is a tough guy who comes to fight and I think he’s going to be perfect for my style. We have a great game plan for him.
“I’m always thinking knockout. It’s easier said than done. I’ve been robbed my last two fights so I know that I have to get this done inside of 12 rounds.
“There are bigger and better fights here in the light heavyweight division. There are a lot of big fights and money to be made in this division.
“I thought my last four fights were clear wins. But none of them were unanimous. It happens in this sport but hopefully this time I don’t have to worry about the scorecards.
“I want to fight Adonis Stevenson. But I’m not overlooking Cleverly at all. I’m 100 percent focused on this fight. After I get the win, I’m going to go after the big fights.”
ANDREW TABITI
“This is a great feeling. I’m very excited. I have a lot of great energy right now and that’s going to carry me into the fight.
“I know Steve Cunningham has a lot of experience, but I think that experience is going to lead to him underestimating me. If he does that, It’s going to be his downfall.
“I can do anything in the ring. I can box and I can brawl. Most of all I like to be smart and try to set guys up for big shots.
“It’s so motivating being in the Mayweather Boxing Club right now and seeing all of these guys put the work in. Everybody wants to be the guy who’s winning. Everyone is looking up to Floyd and trying to have a career like his. It makes you want to keep driving to be the best you can.
“I don’t know his strategy but I’m going to be smart and feel him out. This win could put me real close to superstardom. I want to get this win and become the face of the cruiserweight division in America.”
STEVE CUNNINGHAM
“This is special. Amazing doesn’t really do it justice. This is the biggest event I’ve ever been a part of. It’s unique and it’s special and I can’t wait to start off the PPV card.
“Tabiti is young, hungry and he wants to be like Floyd, in all kinds of ways. Plus, he has Floyd Mayweather Sr. in his corner and that’s dangerous. I’m taking him very seriously. I’m expecting a very good fight from this young man and I know they’re expecting the same from me.
“I know I have a mission to accomplish. Just like when I was in the Navy, we had something to do. The mission is to beat Andrew TAbiti and to win. I have to push and grind and stay away from my family for eight weeks. I’ve just been envisioning winning.
“I think a win here shows that Steve Cunningham still looks great at 41-years-old and I look forward to showing everyone on Saturday.
YORDENIS UGAS
“I feel great. I’ve worked really hard to get to this stage and I’m prepared to perform and put on a show Saturday night.
“I’m always in the gym working hard for fights like this. When the time comes and I receive the call, I’ll always be ready to challenge anyone.
“I know Dulorme is a good, quality fighter and I expect that it’s going to be a great fight for the fans. I’m going to come in strong and look to break Dulorme down and knock him out.
“I want to challenge all the top welterweights in the world and this fight will elp me get there. I’m just going to keep taking down everyone they put in front of me until I’m champion of the world.
JUAN HERALDEZ
“This is a great honor to be here and showcase my talents on this big stage. I’m thankful to Floyd and my whole team for putting me in these once-in-a-lifetime events.
“I’m an all-around boxer. I’m a boxer and a counter puncher. What it says in the books about the “sweet science”, that’s what I am.
“Borrego has to be prepared for me. I’m not really worried about what he does, I just have to go in and take care of business.
“Seeing everybody in the Mayweather Boxing Club working hard is very motivating. WE’re all trying to reach out full potential. When we deliver on Saturday it’ll be a great thing to see.
“This is going to be a great fight. I think it’s going to be very exciting. It means a lot to have this exposure and I can’t wait to deliver and watch my career grow.
JOSE MIGUEL BORREGO
“I know my opponent is very fast and talented. He’s a good test for me and I’m not taking him lightly.
“I’m the new breed of Mexican fighters. I’m aggressive and I put pressure, but I also work the angles. You’ll see a lot of big shots thrown by me.
“I’m really pleased with the exposure that I’ve gained. With that exposure comes the experience and I’m very happy with how I’ve progressed. I’m going to show how much I’ve improved on Saturday night.
“I appreciate the support that I’ve gotten and I’m going to show everyone the next superstar in this sport when I get in the ring.”
KEVIN NEWMAN
“This is a great feeling. I’m blessed to be a part of this great event but I’m not going to let it distract me from what I’m here to do.
“Training camp was fantastic. I had great sparring with Chris Eubank Jr. We put in a lot of solid, hard rounds. I pushed myself just like I do evey training cap. I’m prepared mentally and physically.
“My opponent is very active early on in fights but he starts to fade a little bit. I feel like I’m the better boxer and I’m not going to let him get comfortable. When he finds out how hard I am to hit and how much faster I am than him, he’s going to have to change up his attack.
“Everbyody in the gym has been working hard and pushing themselves to the limit. I’m just happy to be a part of it and I’m going to take advantage.
SAVANNAH MARSHALL
“This is brilliant. It’s really exciting to be here and I’m looking forward to all of it and I just want to really appreciate it.
“I’ve matured a lot since I boxed in the Olympics and I feel like I’m a lot stronger. I’ve been working on adapting to the pro style and I’m going to show a mixture of everything on Saturday.
“Over the next eight months or so I’d like to progress towards a world title. That’s my dream and I’ll ready to take it.
“Signing with Mayweather Promotions was clearly the best thing for me at the time. I wanted new experiences and I’ve certainly gotten that by being part of the stable. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow my fan base as I fight more and more.
Mayweather-McGregor coverage on ESPN
SportsCenter on the Road, First Take, ESPN Radio From Site
Coverage on ESPN Deportes’ News and Information Platforms,
Pre- and post-fight Analysis, Stories on ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes.com, ESPN The Magazine
ESPN will present extensive pre- and post-fight news and information coverage across its platforms in English and Spanish of the much-anticipated fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. ESPN’s week-long coverage will culminate with live post-fight coverage and reactions immediately following the fight from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, August 26.
Television
SportsCenter on the Road Live from Las Vegas
SC6 will be LIVE from the MGM Grand Pool in Las Vegas on Wednesday, August 23, Caesars Palace Pool on Thursday, August 24, and T-Mobile Arena on Friday, August 25. From 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET. Michael Smith and Jemele Hill will be joined by various guests throughout the week.
Steve Levy will host segments every night leading up to the fight beginning on Wednesday, August 23. and host pre-fight and post-fight coverage live from T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, August 26.
Hannah Storm will provide live coverage from the News Conference at MGM Grand on Wednesday, August 23. At 4:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and will have exclusive interviews that will air throughout the week. Storm will also provide coverage for the 11 a.m. ET SportsCenter from on Friday, August 25, and will anchor the 10:30 p.m. ET special on ESPN2 on Saturday, August 26.
Stan Verrett and Neil Everett will host the closing show on Saturday, August 26., from Beer Park
Reporters Toni Collins, Brett Okamoto, Sal Paolantonio and Teddy Atlas will provide live coverage throughout the week from various locations in Las Vegas.
First Take
ESPN’s morning debate show, First Take, will air live 10 a.m. – Noon from the MGM Talent Pool in Las Vegas on Thursday, Aug. 24 and Friday, Aug. 25. Host Molly Qerim and debaters Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman will welcome guests live on set including: Dana White, Roy Jones Jr., Chael Sonnen, Teddy Atlas, Floyd Mayweather Sr., Andre Ward, Ice Cube and more. In addition, the program will air a live on-hour special, also from the MGM Talent Pool, on Thursday night, at 8 p.m.
ESPN Deportes
ESPN’s Spanish-language network, ESPN Deportes, will have extensive news and information coverage throughout fight week on A Los Golpes, Golpe A Golpe, SportsCenter, Nación ESPN, Cronómetro and more. Show highlights include live Golpe A Golpe edition covering the official weigh-in at 6 p.m. ET, as well as a special post fight SportsCenter edition at 1 a.m. ET.
Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio will provide coverage and commentary on the fight throughout its shows through the week. The Stephen A. Smith Show (M-F, 1 – 3 p.m.) will air live from Las Vegas on Thursday, Aug. 24, and Friday, Aug. 25, and discuss the top storylines in the lead up to the fight. In addition, all shows airing Saturday, Aug. 26, will have a boxing guest to discuss the latest from Mayweather-McGregor. ESPN Radio will broadcast a prefight show hosted by Jason Fitz and Myron Metcalf, which will include comments from ESPN boxing analyst Dan Rafael and ESPN MMA analyst Brett Okamoto. ESPN Radio will present expanded post-fight coverage on Dickerson & Hood (10 p.m. – 3 a.m.) that will include guests and press conference audio.
Digital and Print
ESPN.com and ESPNDeportes.com
ESPN’s digital platforms has been covering the Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather fight since it was first rumored, and will finish off coverage in a dynamic way come fight week. Dan Rafael, Brett Okamoto, Arash Markazi and Darren Rovell will be on-site in Las Vegas, covering all aspects of the mega-fight between the stars of the combat sports world.
Key highlights include:
Comprehensive coverage, including pre- and post-fight features, videos and analysis from ESPN’s Dan Rafael, Brett Okamoto, Darren Rovell, Arash Markazi, David Purdum, as well as ESPNDeportes.com’s Salvador Rodriguez, Erick Cervante, Joe Cortez, and more.
ESPN’s Digital team will be on site for every key moment of the week, including the arrivals, press conference and weigh-in.
A dedicated landing page for all coverage on Mayweather-McGregor, including features, videos, photos and podcasts from all platforms throughout the week.
A live page on fight night that will be filled with analysis from Las Vegas, plus additional coverage from Tom Hamilton from Ireland.
Daily Mayweather-McGregor features on ESPNDeportes.com
Fight-week features will include:
Dan Rafael’s Ringside Seat which will provide fans with everything they need to know about the fight
How Las Vegas is preparing for one of the biggest nights of the year, by Arash Markazi
A photo-based feature that showcases fans that have made their way to the event from around the world
Taking note of the biggest bets, most interesting prop-bets and how the gambling world is reacting to this fight, from David Purdum
A look at the success of the business piece of this spectacle, from Darren Rovell
Stat-based analysis on how the two competitors match up from ESPN Stats and Information.
Five Mayweather rivals talk about Mayweather-McGregor with José Luis Castillo, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marcos Maidana, Miguel Cotto, and Manny Pacquiao
The Undefeated, ESPN’s platform exploring the intersections of sports, race and culture, will provide extensive coverage of the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor fight, led by senior culture editor Danyel Smith and writer Justin Tinsley reporting from Las Vegas. Highlights:
Senior writer Michael Fletcher explores the trope of the Great White Hope and how the analogy does not fit Mayweather vs. McGregor.
Contributor Sunni Khalid, a former amateur boxer, looks at how deep the racial passions run for each of these fighters through interviews at from local boxing gyms, dojos and elsewhere in Oakland, Calif.
The Undefeated senior writers Lonnae O’Neal and Soraya McDonald report on Mayweather’s history of violence against women in his life.
Khalid offers the lessons culled from two historic antecedents to Mayweather vs. McGregor: Jack Johnson vs. Jim Jeffries in July 1910, and Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki – a 1976 exhibition spectacle between American boxing king and Japanese wrestling king that gave birth to mixed martial arts.
