Conor McGregor's former sparring partner doesn't feel the Nevada State Athletic Commission's ruling on the gloves to be worn in the eagerly-awaited bout will have a major impact on the outcome of the fight.
The Commission is poised to make its decision on the fight between McGregor and Floyd Mayweather on 26 August.
Requests were made by both fighters to use eight-ounce gloves instead of the 10-ounce gloves mandated for bouts at 154 pounds and higher and a decision is expected Wednesday.
UFC President Dana White has said that Mayweather initially didn’t want the smaller gloves but changed his mind and that if they get permission to go with eight-ounce instead of 10 then McGregor will benefit greatly.
The Dubliner wears four-ounce gloves in the UFC so it will be easier to adapt to the size. However his former MMA sparring partner Richard Kiely feels that it won't make a big difference to the overall contest.
"If there was an impact you would feel it a bit more with the heavier gloves but in terms of the protection it offers Floyd-which is a big advantage- it won’t really be a factor, Kiely told RTÉ Sport.
"Floyd still has the advantage because he is wearing pillows to protect himself. If there is a solid connection you will feel it but they still cover a large area so to get that connection will be difficult.
"With the four-ounce gloves that are worn in MMA if you put the guard up you can still connect with punches.
"The four-ounce gloves literally cover the knuckles and then the padding is dispersed around the hand. It’s different to the pillows they wear in boxing that cover a larger area."
Before turning to MMA where he is 2-0, Kiely was a national kick-boxing champion. He has experienced wearing both 10-ounce and MMA gloves.
"When I was adapting to wearing MMA gloves it was a huge difference because I was getting caught with shots that i wouldn’t usually get caught with.
"With the bigger gloves you can almost rest and hide behind your guard if you trust your guard.
"It’s like putting up a barrier, the shots that would connect in MMA won’t connect in boxing. It covers such a larger surface area.
"In kick-boxing when I was wearing the 10-ounce gloves it was easier to hide, then when I started in MMA it was a shock to the system.
"I was getting caught with shots and it was purely down to the surface area covered."
Kiely is trained by John Kavanagh in Straight Blast Gym and beat Daniel Olejniczak in stunning knock-out victory in the second round in his last fight. The Tallaght-native has sparred regularly with McGregor and knows just what he is capable of.
"Conor is explosive, it’s like he has horse shoes in his hand, he is dynamite with them. If he can break the guard with shots he will catch Floyd, that straight left he has would break Floyd's guard.
"I’d imagine Floyd is going to rely on his shoulder roll to avoid the shots because he knows the power that Conor has.
"It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that over 12 rounds Conor will connect with him. And once is all he needs.
"I’ve gotten hit with that left hand, I'm a bigger man than Floyd and I felt it down to my boots so if he hits Floyd with that he will know about it.
You can run. But you can't hide. pic.twitter.com/XXIrv21xG7
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 7, 2017
"I envision the fight will be between four and six rounds. Floyd will get complacent between four and six or he will try and take a breather and Conor will catch him."
On Wednesday the Commission will also make a call on who will serve as referee and judges for the bout.
The showdown will take place on 26 August in Las Vegas and those in contention for officiating the fight are believed to be Russell Mora, Robert Byrd and Tony Weeks.
Veteran boxing referee Kenny Bayless, who refereed five of Mayweather’s last ten bouts including the win against Manny Pacquiao, will not be assigned to the fight.
The Nevada State Commission made the decision not to consider him in light of past critical comments Bayless made about the match-up. Last year he admitted that he didn’t see the point of it as its two very different sports.
On Friday McGregor said that he didn’t feel Bayless should be involved in the fight but Bob Bennett, executive director of the Nevada State Commission claimed that McGregor’s views didn’t affect the decision to not consider Bayless.
