Morning Report: Freddie Roach says Conor McGregor has not done well in training against professional boxers, would love to help him

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is really trying to make that fight with Conor McGregor happen.

For weeks now the MMA world has been held hostage by discussions about McGregor moving over to boxing to challenge the undefeated (and retired) Mayweather. The story has mostly been driven by rumors from the fighters themselves but now Mayweather appears to be reaching out to an old foe to help make the fight a reality. Last week Freddie Roach, fabled boxing trainer of Mayweather nemesis Manny Pacquiao, told Inside MMA on AXS TV that Mayweather approached him to convince him to train McGregor for the fight.

"There are a lot of rumors out there that I'm getting calls from Conor, asking me to train him; they're not true. He has not called me yet but Mayweather did come by my gym last week and he asked me to take that job if it's offered to me. He told me the fight is gonna happen and we're gonna make a lot of money."

Roach has been in the rumor mill about his potential involvement with a McGregor-Mayweather boxing match but had seemingly not given the idea much credence, possibly because he is of the same belief that many boxers and MMA fighters have: Conor McGregor stands no chance in a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather.

"As I told Mayweather, I said, ‘it would take me three years at least to get him ready to fight you.' I don't really think it's possible for an MMA fighter to fight a boxer and I don't even really think it's fair. Depends on what rules you fight under, one person has too big of an advantage. Mayweather would outbox him all day long. Conor McGregor seems like a tough guy and all that but being a tough guy doesn't really help you in boxing...

But I do know that he's trained at Wild Card West which is one of my gyms on the west side and he's sparring with a couple of my professional fighters over there and I hear he's not doing that well with my professionals.

Mayweather is the best boxer in the world and I think he would absolutely not even lose a round against a guy with Conor's experience. I mean, he looks like an okay boxer, he's a very good MMA fighter but the thing is this is boxing and he's kind of a beginner at boxing. It probably would take me almost three years to get him ready for a fight against a guy like Mayweather."

Roach says that he was hoping Mayweather would be coming to ask for a rematch with Pacquiao and was disappointed when that didn't happen but he does admit that even in his brief discussions with Mayweather, no dates of the event were discussed. Rumors have placed the theoretical bout in mid-September and though that falls well short of the three years Roach says he needs to properly prepare McGregor, he did end the interview by saying he would be happy to help if he can.

"If I can help him I would definitely do that. I work twelve hours a day in the gym, I like to stay busy in the gym. I think we could help him and if he did come and ask I would love to help him."

You can listen to the interview below.

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Pick on Jacare day, and everybody's celebrating. Chael Sonnen says Jacare Souza should be removed from the UFC rankings for turning down a short notice title shot.

EXTRA CREDIT READING

The Monster. Shaun Al-Shatti wrote one of the best pieces you will read this year. It's about Kevin Randleman. Go read it now if you haven't already.

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Man, this one broke my heart back in the day. I wonder what would have happened with that left body shot had chuck kept his feet planted on it, rather than floating to the left with it. The feint was set and the shot was there but he floated with it when he thru it, taking everything out of the shot. He was almost mid air just as the counter hook clipped him. It knocked him down while he was off balance and the following shots are what really ended it. If that was boxing he'd have been back up by the 8 count fresh. But it ain't boxing. Chuck was the man! Rampage was an animal too. Good times! #MMAHistory

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fabricio Werdum (20-6-1) vs. Ben Rothwell (36-10-0); UFC 203, September 10.

1997: UFC 13: The Ultimate Force was held which featured the professional debuts of MMA legends Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz. Couture won the event's heavyweight tournament and Ortiz was submitted in the finals of the lightweight tournament by Guy Mezger.

2015: Carlos Condit defeated Thiago Alves via TKO at the end of round 2 in the main event of UFC Fight Night 67.

Birthdays

1988: Amanda Nunes

1983: Bart Palaszewski

1982: Ivan Menjivar

1979: Yves Jabouin

1978: Lyoto Machida

Think I missed a spot? Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @JedKMeshew and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.