Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Evander Holyfield is of the opinion that Conor McGregor has the ability in him to beat Manny Pacquiao.
Many people have already written off McGregor’s chances of beating Pacquiao but Holyfield believes otherwise.
“Well, he’s got longer arms. So he has reach advantage,” Holyfield was quoted as saying by the SunSport.
“So he has to keep Pacquiao to the side and throw the punches straight, which is going to be difficult. You’re talking about fighting somebody who has been doing boxing their whole life.
“McGregor’s strength is grabbing people and turning people and flipping people, where he had more things to think about.”
Even though he believes in McGregor, the 58-year-old is well aware that it is going to be an uphill task for the Irishman to get the better of Pacquiao, who is a former eight-weight world champion.
“When you to boxing where you’re boxing and using your hands only and not kicking, it is going to be difficult for someone like McGregor,” he added.
“It makes it even more difficult because, as I said, Pacquiao has been doing it all his life and his hand routine is perfect.
“And regardless anybody gets into a fight with him the only person who’s going to have a better chance to beat him is somebody younger doing the same thing he does, which is boxing.
“But if you are the same age there’s not much difference because then you’re going to get whooped.
“However, anybody who gets in the ring has some chance, I believe. You ain’t getting in the ring if you think you ain’t got a chance. And McGregor has some skills too.
“He has that heart to fight, heart of a fighter. He can fight so ain’t nobody just going to beat him up in no kind of way. Just like the boxers, he has the mentality of a fighter.
“Manny, even if he went into a MMA fight he would get kicked but he will get some punches in there and fight, he may get tore up in the end but he is a fighter who is able to do something because of the mentality and how we fighters think. So, McGregor has a chance.”
Holyfield also went on to say that he will be more than happy to prepare McGregor in case he manages to land a mega-money fight.
