Mayweather vs. McGregor: 5 keys to victory for Floyd Mayweather

2. Utilize Power-punches

Floyd Mayweather is not a power-puncher. The last time he knocked an opponent out was six years ago against Victor Ortiz. That doesn’t mean that he has no punching power. He didn’t get to where he is today by having pillow-fists.

Mayweather has average to slightly above average power for a super welterweight. Most of his knockouts came when he was a super lightweight and below. As he’s jumped up in weight his knockouts have dwindled. He has a 53 percent knockout rating, but again, most of them came when he was in a lighter weight class.

McGregor walks around at about 170 pounds. He’s a thicker opponent than what Mayweather is used to, but he can still be hurt by Mayweather. Mayweather can’t rely on one punch to knock out McGregor, but he can accumulate power-punches on McGregor and break him down through the course of the fight.

Mayweather needs to land power-punches on McGregor. They will chip away at McGregor’s armor, and they will keep him at bay. Mayweather needs to avoid relying on scoring jabs and has to use powerful shots to wear McGregor down.

He did this during his 2007 fight with Ricky Hatton, who was a thicker welterweight. Mayweather’s power-punches added up. Mayweather delivered crushing blows to Hatton’s body and head throughout the fight. Hatton couldn’t stand up to the punishment and was stopped in the 10th round.

Mayweather needs to channel his performance against Hatton when he meets McGregor in the ring. Breaking McGregor down throughout the fight gives Mayweather a chance of knocking McGregor out.