The Nevada State Athletic Commission granted Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor’s request to lower the boxing glove weight to 8 ounces. Boxing matches above the welterweight limit of 147 pounds normally utilize 10-ounce gloves. But there is nothing normal about this fight, which will be contested at the light middleweight limit of 154 pounds.
The decision comes just 10 days before the highly anticipated event on August 26th at the T-Mobile Arena.
The commission voted unanimously in favor of this one-time exception. NSAC Chairman Anthony Marnell, strongly reprimanded both camps for using the organization as a social media “pawn” while noting that aside from the commission’s rules, it must always “adopt it to current times.”
On August 1st, Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs) wrote on Facebook: “Let’s fight in 8 oz gloves.” He’s has fought the majority of his career in 8-ounce gloves, having been a multiple time champion in the welterweight division and under. McGregor (21-3) is used to 4-ounce gloves in mixed martial arts and is the only fighter to hold two belts in different classes in UFC history.
Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor | Sat., Aug. 26 on SHOWTIME PPV
Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather returns to the ring to fight UFC superstar Conor McGregor in a 12-round showdown at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The unprecedented superfight will be a main event of a SHOWTIME PPV boxing card.
Both fighters submitted a waiver to the NSAC this month, requesting the smaller glove size and both boxing and MMA insiders went crazy wondering if this spelled an advantage for Mayweather or McGregor.
Additionally, veteran Robert Byrd was selected as the fight night referee. Marnell stressed that the referee selection was the most important factor in a “unique” matchup like this.
McGregor made a big deal about Mayweather’s choice of the glove manufacturing and the concern regarding glove selection was the distribution of padding. The bout contracts mandate that foam gloves be used and not “puncher’s gloves” which are made out of Mexican horsehair gloves.
Also, in addition to regular fight night inspections, Marnell, as well as other commission members, will inspect each fighter’s gloves before the fight.
The Association of Ringside Physicians, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and safety of boxers and mixed martial artists, said before the ruling that they disagreed with the decision to use lighter gloves.
“This is a bout that has already been set [at] a specified weight class,” Dr. Raymond M. Monsell, chairman of the Association of Ringside Physicians, wrote to the commission on Tuesday. “Unless there is scientific evidence to support the view that such a change might improve the safety of this bout, we would strongly caution against allowing current regulations to be overruled. To do so would also set a precedent for future bouts.”
