Boxing: Mayweather-McGregor to begin media tour July 11 in LA

[July 08, 2017]  By Frank Pingue

(Reuters) - Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather and mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor will begin a four-day international media tour next week to promote their Aug. 26 boxing match in Las Vegas.

Mayweather and McGregor, two of the most popular athletes in their respective sports, will hold their first public meeting in front of the media on July 11 in Los Angeles followed by stops in Toronto, New York and London over the next three days.

Each event, likely to provide plenty of humorous and heated exchanges, will be open to the public.

Mayweather, who came out of retirement for this fight, is widely regarded as one of the best defensive fighters ever and the 40-year-old American prides himself on his ability to evade punishment with his movement and to make adjustments on the fly.

Boastful Irishman McGregor, the UFC's reigning lightweight champion and former featherweight champion, is known as much for his bravado as for his explosive knockout power inside an MMA octagon.

 Conor McGregor (blue gloves) celebrates after defeating Eddie Alvarez (red gloves) in their lightweight title bout during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

There is expected to be plenty of interest in the fight, which will be held inside T-Mobile Arena, even though there is also scepticism about how competitive it will be given that McGregor has never boxed professionally before.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Mark Potter)

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