"I think the biggest test for him would be somebody that is unorthodox and unconventional. The last time we saw Mayweather not do so great was when Maidana was throwing those big overhands and something that he wasn't used to seeing and something that his sparring partners wasn't throwing. He had to make adjustments in the rematch. With Conor coming, I think he's going to be awkward, he's going to be different, and I think that makes it exciting," stated UFC featherweight contender Cub Swanson, who shared his thoughts on the imminent showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. Check it out!
PC: I wasn't a believer at first, but it seems like Mayweather-McGregor may actually become a reality. We have seen a past his prime James Toney go to the UFC to face Randy Couture, but we have never seen a prime MMA fighter try his hand in boxing against one of the best. What is your take on this fight potentially happening?
CS: Yeah, I think it's awesome. It's the two biggest names in each sport coming together for a super fight. The things that we try to do as a sport, in both of our sports individually, is to try and make the biggest fights; the biggest money fights to set the bar high. I think this fight will blow past both sports' biggest fights ever as far as hype and money at the gate and purses and everything like that. I think it's just going to blow it out of the water. It's a fight that has to happen. The reason why people want to see it is because this is how our sport started. MMA started by trying to see which style was the best, Jiu Jitsu versus karate versus kickboxing, and then we all figured it out; let's blend it together and that's the best style because you can learn to adapt. That's kind of what we're seeing in this fight, an MMA fighter versus a boxer. Somebody who is able to adapt. Mayweather is the best that we've seen do it in a long time in the sport of boxing. He's not my favorite fighter, but as far as a boxer, he's just so skillful at being great at these rules. I think the biggest test for him would be somebody that is unorthodox and unconventional. The last time we saw Mayweather not do so great was when Maidana was throwing those big overhands and something that he wasn't used to seeing and something that his sparring partners wasn't throwing. He had to make adjustments in the rematch. With Conor coming, I think he's going to be awkward, he's going to be different, and I think that makes it exciting.
PC: You made a great point that both sports should be focusing on making the biggest fights possible. Do you also feel like we just have to accept that it's entertainment at the end of the day?
CS: Yeah, and that's the thing that people don't understand. The hardcore fans are going to get a little bit upset and be like, "Ah, this is going to get blown out of proportion," but the hardcore fans are the ones that appreciate the amazing fights on the undercard and the fights that are flying under the radar. But to get the casual fans excited, you have to have the theatrics and big personalities. So if they want to break records and get people back watching these sports and have the masses watching or maybe even people that haven't watched before to watch, then it's gotta take two personalities and these are two of the biggest personalities.
PC: Who better to speak to about this than you; you work with world-class trainer Joel Diaz and you have sparred and worked with former world champion Timothy Bradley. What is it like to be in there with a high caliber boxer?
CS: It's awesome. I saw a long time ago that if I can get in here and let these guys work with me and kind of get in their good graces, because when I started, I walked into a couple of boxing gyms and I wasn't really welcomed. They are pretty closed-minded about it. This gym has been nothing but good to me. Since I came in the very first day and started sparring and showed heart, they were like, "Alright, you got a lot of heart; now let's get you some skills and make you better." I've been a great sparring partner for all of these guys and they've been great sparring partners for me and just to be able to learn the skillful science of boxing and add that to my game is a whole 'nother thing that we had to do as MMA fighters. I had to learn the skills and then adapt it to my sport without a coach really teaching me how to adapt it. They just give me the tools and I have to adapt it. So that's something that we have to do as MMA fighters and it's difficult. But as far as me being here, it's been amazing.
PC: Most boxing fans feel that Conor McGregor won't be able to lay a glove on Floyd Mayweather. Is there anything that you can think of that Conor could do in a fight against Floyd Mayweather to have success?
CS: I think that he can surprise him with the angles that he might fight him from. I think that would surprise him. I think that's the biggest thing, not knowing what to expect and not having a sparring partner that's going to mimic him. Another thing that I've always thought frustrated Mayweather was guys that fought him and in the first 4 rounds, they didn't try to smother him, but they just hit his arms and his body and tried to slow him down. An MMA fighter in general is better on the inside. That's something that I learned with some of these boxers that are really good on the inside; I was running from them and trying to stick and move and realized I'm the better wrestler (laughing), why don't I stay on the inside and push them backwards. And ever since then, I haven't gotten bullied by them at all on the inside by good inside boxers. So, I mean, that's a possibility, so I think there are a lot of ways that Conor could really surprise Mayweather and that's the biggest aspect of this is can he shock the world?
PC: What Conor is doing is opening doors for other UFC fighters wanting to try their hand at boxing. We saw heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic call out boxing champion Anthony Joshua. It makes sense not only from a challenging and competitive standpoint, but from a monetary standpoint as well. Is this something you would entertain and is there a boxer out there that you would like to test your skills against?
CS: Ah man, I would love to do it. I still, to this day, dream about it, but most of the time it's frowned upon for us. I've asked to do it many of times. I've tried to get it into my contract, but you know recently me and Paulie Malignaggi have called each other out. If Floyd and Conor want a full MMA and boxing card, which I think they should, I think they should do that all the way down the card. Hit me up! Nobody is more qualified than me to do a boxer versus MMA fight. Like I said, me and Paulie have already agreed that we would fight, so if they want to hit us up, I'm more than willing to do it.
BE SURE TO CHECK BACK FOR MUCH MORE WITH TOP UFC FEATHERWEIGHT CONTENDER CUB SWANSON
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]