Ringside Doctor Hoping For Good Fight, But Has Serious Concerns About Much-Hyped Boxing Match
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It's a fight that a lot of people are talking about - "Mayweather versus McGregor" is set for this weekend in Las Vegas.
But some doctors are worried it's going to be a lot more dangerous than your typical boxing match.
It's been described by some as the richest fight in history. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor. It will go on Saturday night, and both fighters are talking.
McGregor says its go time.
"I'm calm... calm and collected," he said.
While Mayweather is says, "We're both predicting knockouts, so we'll just have to see what happens."
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Looking past all the hype and buzz, there are concerns.
A group of more than 100 doctors, the Association of Ringside Physicians, say they are worried McGregor could get badly injured in the fight.
"It seems like the worst injuries we see are the gross mismatches before the fights are even started," says Dr. Larry Lovelace.
Dr. Lovelace sits ringside as a physician every weekend. He's done it for 30 years.
Dr. Lovelace says McGregor has no boxing experience and that puts him in jeopardy.
"I hope that it's a really good fight, there's no injuries and that the people are entertained; but in the back of my mind, I'm quite concerned," Dr. Lovelace said.
McGregor is a mixed martial arts fighter. The ringside doctor says he has very little boxing experience.
Dr. Lovelace calls that high risk.
KDKA's Marty Griffin: "Your concern is real physical damage, right doctor?"
Dr. Lovelace: "Correct. I've seen serious injuries. I've seen death in the ring. Everything in looking at this is through the lens of already having a death in the ring myself. I would hate to see a repeat of that."
Griffin: "You're that concerned, doctor? There could be a death?"
Dr. Lovelace: "Sure."
The fight is sanctioned by Nevada regulators. They have no concerns.
But officials promoting the fight suggest there will be a number of trained, experienced boxing physicians watching the fight.