Conor McGregor Hires Hall of Fame Boxing Referee Joe Cortez

Conor McGregor is leaving no stone unturned in his preparation for Floyd Mayweather.

On Aug. 26, McGregor will go one-on-one with Mayweather inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. “Notorious” understands the magnitude of the bout, which is why he’s brought in Paulie Malignaggi for some sparring.

Hall of Fame boxing referee Joe Cortez recently told Helen Yee of NBC Sports that he’s been brought to McGregor’s camp to get him acclimated with boxing rules (via Bloody Elbow):

“They were recruiting around for a referee to teach them the rules on refereeing – the unified rules – to make sure that there’s no mistakes being committed the night of the fight, when he fights Floyd Mayweather on August 26th at the T-Mobile Arena here in Las Vegas. So, I’m just instructing him on the dos and don’ts, to make sure he follows the rules to a tee.”

While many may be dismissing the competitive aspect of the bout, Cortez believes both men will show up to fight.

“He’s a sharp individual who is very athletic, has a lot of speed, has a lot of power, and I could tell you that he’s gonna be somebody to reckon with. He’s not gonna be an easy guy. He’s one of the best champions the UFC has ever had, and the MMA sport, so I’d say he brings a lot of activity, a lot of action to the sport. It’s going to be very competitive. I think (him and Floyd) are both gonna bring a lot to the game.”