Mayweather v McGregor: They said what?! The best sound bites from a verbal sparring epic

Las Vegas, August 23: The time for callouts, baiting, verbal sparring and, at times, pure comedy is almost at an end.

On Saturday, we will finally see which fighter will truly back up their outlandish predictions when Floyd Mayweather Jr and Conor McGregor go toe-to-toe in an eagerly awaited Las Vegas grudge match.

Mayweather enters the fight, unsurprisingly, as the overwhelming favourite given he owns a proud 49-0 record, while UFC star McGregor is entering his first professional boxing bout.

But that has done nothing to curb the outspoken Irishman's brash, confident nature and he has vowed to shock the world at the T Mobile Arena.

Whatever the outcome, there have been plenty of soundbite highlights over the past two years…

I'D KILL HIM IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS

Mayweather is one of boxing's greatest pound-for-pound fighters, but if you think that would make McGregor take a cautious approach, you'd be wrong…

"I don't look at a man who's expert in one area as a specialist. I look at him as a rookie in 10 other areas," he told Esquire. "If I fought Floyd, I would kill him in less than thirty seconds. It would take me less than thirty seconds to wrap around him like a boa constrictor and strangle him."

HE TALKS A LOT OF TRASH

Never one to back down, Mayweather responded in December 2015 and suggested the colour of his skin meant he would never have received the acclaim the Irishman did for knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds.

"I don't really know the McGregor guy; never seen him fight," Mayweather told FightHype. "They say he talks a lot of trash and people praise him for it, but when I did it, they say I'm cocky and arrogant. So biased! Like I said before, all I'm saying is this, I ain't racist at all, but I'm telling you racism still exists."

pic.twitter.com/BnoIohlPJT

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 12, 2017

YOUR LAST FIGHT BOMBED

McGregor was unimpressed by Mayweather's claims on Instagram, hitting back in a lengthy Instagram post with which he finished: "If you want we can organise a fight no problem. I will give you a fair 80-20 split purse in my favour seen as your last fight bombed at every area of revenue."

I'LL KNOCK MAYWEATHER'S HEAD CLEAN OFF

Things really heated up when McGregor conducted an interview with GQ.

"I'm pursuing that [fight] and no one can stop me from pursuing that," McGregor told GQ. "He's got a little head on him. Honestly, my fist is bigger than his head. I sleep people. I put people unconscious. I'm stating facts. If I hit that man, his head is gonna go into the bleachers. You understand that? If I crack that little head of his, it's gonna go clean off his shoulders and up into the bleachers."

HE SHOULD LET ME KICK HIS ASS FOR A LOT OF MONEY

McGregor made UFC history by holding belts in two weight divisions at the same time. So Floyd, what should his next move be?...

"The difference between me and him is this: he has to fight. If I was him and I was smart, before I lose again in the UFC I'd let Floyd Mayweather kick my a** for a lot of money. It makes business sense. This guy said I'm a p***y, I'm scared, I'm a chicken. All 49 said the same thing and all the results were the same."

https://t.co/MS7Oosjl9C pic.twitter.com/IqEBbEcv5W

— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) June 29, 2017

NO MORE EXCUSES

Throughout McGregor's jibes and barbs, Mayweather insisted he remained happily retired. That stance all changed in March this year.

"I'm officially out of retirement for Conor McGregor. We don't need to waste no time. We need to make this s*** happen quickly," he told FightHype. "I don't want to hear no more excuses about the money, about the UFC. Sign the paper with the UFC so you can fight me in June."

WATCH ME TAKE OVER BOXING

McGregor's ability to transition to the squared circle has been questioned by many but he had a strong message for boxing's experts when ringside at a fight in New York…

"Watch me take over boxing, trust me on that. No one in this boxing game knows what's coming. I'm going to step in there and shock the whole goddamn world. Look me in the eyes, 28 years of age, confident as a motherf*****, long, rangy, dangerous with every hand. Trust me, I'm going to stop Floyd and you're all going to eat your words. The whole world is going to eat their words … I am boxing."

I am Batman. pic.twitter.com/M2yLK0WX9Q

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 27, 2017

HE'S GOT A LITTLE HEAD

A fight this big was always going to draw big crowds and the warring duo took their verbal sparring on a world tour in July. McGregor was typically in the mood to talk trash at the Staples Center…

"He is f****d. There's no other way about it. His little legs, his little core, his little head... I'm going to knock him out inside four rounds mark my words," he said. "As far as the fight, he will be unconscious inside four rounds. My movement, my power, my ferociousness - he's not experienced it."

I'M A NINE-FIGURE FIGHTER

You don't earn the nickname 'money' for nothing and Mayweather was keen to talk bills in his retort.

"He looks good for a seven-figure fighter, an eight-figure fighter," Mayweather said. "But motherf***** I'm a nine-figure fighter. This b**** made three million dollars his last fight. We know that's training camp money for me."

BET YOUR WHOLE FIGHT CHEQUE

As the action moved to Toronto, Mayweather challenged McGregor to put his money where his mouth is.

"If you believe in yourself like you say you believe in yourself, bet your whole fight cheque, you b****," he said.

Up for that Conor? "No f****** problem. Send the contract, kid, it's done."

THEY'RE ALL ONES!

The antics at the meetings quickly bordered on the ridiculous and Mayweather perhaps dipped a top over that line by showering McGregor with money in New York.

Picking up the bills, McGregor gleefully exclaimed: "They're all f****** ones!"

"That's all your worth b****," came the unfriendly reply.

IF IT GOES THE DISTANCE IT'S A VICTORY FOR HIM

Having told ESPN that McGregor has the advantage "on paper" Mayweather was keen to clarify his thoughts at a media workout.

"He believes it's not going past four [rounds] and I believe that it's not going to go the distance at all. It is a victory for him. If it goes the distance, it's a victory for him - in my eyes also," he said.

How do you look this good at 40? Only
Floyd knows! @FloydMayweather pic.twitter.com/yD2FkUV0NB

— MayweatherPromotions (@MayweatherPromo) August 6, 2017

I WILL BE A GOD OF BOXING

McGregor is stepping into a world that he doesn't know. But if he is to believed, it's a world he will soon be ruling.

"This isn't new to me though, just like boxing isn't new to me. I am no stranger to being the underdog on paper. I am a seasoned veteran and I am confident that I am the better man. After Saturday, August 26, I will be a god of boxing."

Source: OPTA