IN an unprecedented move, the Nevada State Athletic Commission have dismissed their own rules and will allow Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor to fight each other in eight ounce gloves.
Their rules officially state that boxing bouts fought at 154lbs – the weight at which Mayweather and McGregor will meet in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas – must be undertaken with 10oz gloves, for health and safety reasons.
However, at a meeting earlier today, where the officials for the bout were also selected, the NSAC declared that in a ‘one off’ move, Mayweather-McGregor will take place with smaller gloves.
. @TheNotoriousMMA looked awesome last night and now the #NSAC just approved 8OZ gloves for the fight!!!! pic.twitter.com/bZ6VfPQNYJ
— Dana White (@danawhite) August 16, 2017
The prospect of the pair fighting in 8oz gloves came closer to reality when Floyd challenged Conor to the stipulation, after which both men had representatives lodge requests with the NSAC.
Mayweather insists it will give McGregor, who will be making his professional boxing debut, more of an advantage in a fight few expect him to win. More cynical observers might speculate that the move is merely another marketing tool being used to drum up interest and, in turn, pay-per-view buys.
The move is a stark contrast to Mayweather’s reaction over the gloves used for his first fight with Marcos Maidana, when the bout was thrown into jeopardy after Floyd took offence to a particular type of Everlast glove the Argentinian intended to use.
