Coach John Kavanagh predicts Conor McGregor to beat Nate Diaz in round four

UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor has been training for what he calls the most important fight of his career.

Leading up to the rematch with Nate Diaz, McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh says that this camp has been a game changer for “The Notorious.”

“We’ve been following that pattern now for what feels like a long time — about 19 weeks in total come fight night,” Kavanagh wrote in a piece for The 42. “Although it seems like it has been a long process, we’re definitely seeing the fruits of our labour. There are certain fitness tests that we have numbers on, and the improvements from when Conor began to where he is now have been dramatic.

“There’s no comparing this training camp to any we have done previously. I can’t stress enough how different this has been. As many of you will probably already know, routine hasn’t been something you would have associated with Conor’s preparations in the past.

“But this has been like nothing we’ve done before and it’s going to be a massive help for his next number of fights, not just this one. And that’s how it should be done. We’re learning about this art as we go along. The way we’re doing things now is the right way. I strongly believe that will manifest itself in Las Vegas in 12 days’ time.”

Kavanagh says that he has implemented a few new techniques that you should expect to see on August 20, which he says, “will change the landscape.”

“Patience will be essential for Conor in this fight. I’m veering towards a fourth-round finish in his favour, following an opening three rounds which I expect him to dominate in the same manner he did in the first frame of the previous fight.”

Kavanagh stated that they are prepared to go all five rounds, but maintains his belief that by the fourth round, Conor’s offense will have taken its toll on Diaz.

“We’re ready for 25 minutes but I do believe that the cumulative damage will have become too much by the fourth round, resulting in Nate’s corner stopping the fight if the referee doesn’t do it before that.”