NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Boxing

What Conor McGregor's sparring partners really think of his jabs

news.com.au
7 Jul, 2017 02:00 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Conor McGregor. Photo / Getty Images.

Conor McGregor. Photo / Getty Images.

It's all been doom and gloom about Conor McGregor's boxing skills since video from inside his training camp showed his speed work compared to rival Floyd Mayweather.

One of his sparring partners and Former IBO welterweight champion Chris van Heerden last month also came out publicly and declared McGregor's only chance of upsetting Mayweather was by getting lucky with a sucker punch.

Sky Sports has spoken to McGregor's sparring partners to get the truth about McGregor's boxing skills.

TIERNAN BRADLEY

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Six-time Irish amateur champion

Belfast

Bradley said: He's got the power to knock Mayweather out. The likes of Gennady Golovkin have explosive power in their punches but Conor has consistent power in every single punch from the first moment to the end of the fight.

You can see in Conor's style that he was a boxer before he was an MMA fighter. He doesn't move like a boxer, but he can keep up the pace that he uses in MMA. He's in and out for 12 full rounds - he does not tire. He's very consistent, very powerful and very unpredictable. His MMA background helps him.

Conor is very smart in the ring - he's smarter than people give him credit for. He's faster at reading things than I am. He's always aware of what's coming.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

I would normally box as a counter-puncher, like Mayweather. I've got fast feet. I usually hold my hands below my chin in a Philly guard. But I'm not here to replicate Mayweather, I'm here to push Conor in sparring. They told me not to change my usual style. They said: 'box however you want to box'.

It's a massive compliment to be asked to train with him before the Mayweather fight. If people see me box they would be shocked.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ‘Irish’ Tiernan Bradley (@tiernanbradleyboxing)

CHRIS VAN HEERDEN

Welterweight (25-2-1)

South Africa

Discover more

Boxing

Horn-Pacquiao: Numbers can lie

03 Jul 11:05 PM
Boxing

WBO to review Horn upset over Pacquiao

07 Jul 01:53 AM
Boxing

WBO recount confirms Horn over Pacquiao

11 Jul 12:45 AM
Boxing

'I would take me completely seriously' - Fury

12 Jul 01:11 AM

Van Heerden said: Does he have boxing skills? Yes he does. I was surprised. We moved around throwing punches but we weren't trying to take each other's heads off. For an MMA fighter, Conor has some real boxing skills.

People telling me Mayweather will have his hands full trying to land on McGregor -STOP IT! I respect McGregor BUT i ain't Floyd and i landed pic.twitter.com/gd4dFi3XUU

— Chris van Heerden (@TheHeat001) June 14, 2017

His counter left hand caught me once or twice, before I figured it out. That's his best punch because he's got good timing. But he keeps his whole head in front of his body, and you can't do that against Mayweather. I assume they will work on that.

He told me that he was an amateur boxer, and I could see that, because he knows what he's doing. I thought at that point: If McGregor focuses on only boxing for six months he will shock a lot of people. He needs to focus on moving his feet and throwing punches in combinations.

Conor is a cool guy - nothing but respect. He's very humble and it was a pleasure to work with him. I sparred him when he was preparing for a rematch with Nate Diaz [last year], because I'm also a tall southpaw. This was the time that the McGregor-Mayweather talk started.

Sparring today pic.twitter.com/jEtO3Vkf5g

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 28, 2017

LOUIS ADOLPHE

Welterweight (6-0)

London

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Adolphe said: When I got in the ring with Conor, in my head, I underestimated his skills. He shocked me. I've had a great amateur background but he shocked me. I was surprised by the level that he's at. The public will be shocked at what they see.

Conor is a scientist when it comes to this sport. His overall movement and skills were of a very high level.

They asked me to be myself, but at the end of the day, I'm here to help Conor. If I get a chance to replicate what Floyd may do, I will do what I can - but overall, I'm myself. I've got a lot of speed and I'm a thinking fighter. The thing that's closest to Mayweather is my build (we're a similar height) and my speed.

Boxers could learn a thing or two from MMA fighters. Mayweather vs McGregor will change how a lot of boxers fight.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma)

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Boxing

Boxing

'No truth in it': Gallen hits back at SBW claims

19 Jun 04:00 AM
Premium
Boxing

'Understand the magnitude': Inside the mind of Sonny Bill Williams

14 Jun 12:02 AM
New Zealand

Inside the mind of Sonny Bill Williams ahead of his biggest bout yet.

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Boxing

'No truth in it': Gallen hits back at SBW claims

'No truth in it': Gallen hits back at SBW claims

19 Jun 04:00 AM

Gallen and Williams will square off over eight two-minute rounds in Sydney in July.

Premium
'Understand the magnitude': Inside the mind of Sonny Bill Williams

'Understand the magnitude': Inside the mind of Sonny Bill Williams

14 Jun 12:02 AM
Inside the mind of Sonny Bill Williams ahead of his biggest bout yet.

Inside the mind of Sonny Bill Williams ahead of his biggest bout yet.

'Watch your mouth, bro': SBW's warning to Ryan Bridge

'Watch your mouth, bro': SBW's warning to Ryan Bridge

13 Jun 12:27 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP