Boxers tend to be a superstitious bunch, and though he'd probably be one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters regardless, Floyd Mayweather is no exception. I guess if you start your professional career with a 49-0 record, you don't switch up the formula for fight No. 50.
Apparently, Mayweather believes in the old-school boxing concept of avoiding intercourse in the lead-up to a fight. Approached by TMZ with a number of questions about the fight, Mayweather only gave a strong answer to one question.
"Floyd, are you going to abstain from sex before the fight?" asked TMZ's correspondent. His response was unequivocal: "Absolutely!"
This unofficial vow marks a pretty stark contrast between Mayweather and his upcoming opponent, Conor McGregor. Pressed on the same subject by late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien, McGregor said in 2015 that he doesn't buy into that no-sex nonsense. "That is most certainly a superstition that I do not abide by," said McGregor. "I definitely have as much sex as possible."
As if we needed another point of division to talk about with this fight, the sex habits of both men are now clearly on display. Forget the difference in their sparring habits and their various, problematic actions outside the ring: this will surely be the thing that decides who will walk away from the ring victorious.
In more pressing news, Mayweather is doing his best to make sure fans stay interested in his upcoming bout with McGregor, as the odds continue to favor the 49-0 boxer heavily over the converted MMA fighter. Known mostly for his defensive prowess, Mayweather promised on a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live that he was going to go after McGregor early and often.
"He's going to land shots, because with this fight, I'm going straight ahead," Mayweather said. "Normally, it's more taking my time, being very cautious. But this time, I'm going straight ahead. The fans deserve it."
I've seen too many Mayweather matches to be convinced by a little pre-fight talk, but if he's truly prepared to go on the offensive against McGregor, fight fans should be excited. We might actually see a knockout instead of a 12-round decision!
You can watch the video of Mayweather affirming his abstinence up top, and watch a video of him telling Kimmel he dislikes McGregor below.
