It has now been just under a year since talk first begun about a potential superfight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor and in the twelve months that followed fans of both fighters have chattered endlessly as to how their fighter will surely come out on top should they finally step into a ring with each other.

The boxing community point to Mayweather’s undefeated 49-0 record as evidence that this will be just another day in the office for their man, while McGregor’s many supporters cite his youth, concussive power and impeccable timing as evidence that Mayweather will taste defeat for the first time in his professional career.

While some contractual hurdles remain before the fight is official, Floyd Mayweather has admitted (via TMZ) that the fight with the Irishman will be a lot more difficult than his supporters expect.

“I’m not gonna sit right here and knock Conor McGregor”, Mayweather said of the Irishman. “He’s gone out there and done what he’s had to do. It’s obvious he’s done something right thus far to get to the point where he’s at.”

At 28-years-old, McGregor is on the doorstep of his athletic prime. His recent performances in the UFC, and in particular the striking clinic he unleashed on Eddie Alvarez in the main event of UFC 205 in New York last year, suggest that he has no equal when it comes to boxing technique in mixed martial arts and Mayweather suggests that a fighter of his own vintage might encounter problems if he faces the southpaw.

“I’ve been off for a couple years and I’m 40 years old now. So, I’m a lot older and he’s still in his 20s and I’m in my 40s now. So that could play a major key, we don’t know. And he’s a heavy hitter. Every time he goes out there and defeats fighters, he’s standing up. He’s in a boxing position and he’s beating fighters. Does he have a good chance of upsetting Floyd Mayweather? I can’t say, but anything can happen in the sport of boxing.”