Don't you think that maybe trash talking is just part of the game to make these stuff more appealing to the masses? Maybe it worked back in the old days, when it was new, but do you think fighters now pay any attention to this stuff?
Conor has an enormous confidence and self-belief and he genuinely believes he is going to win.
Again, I might just be a tad too cynical, but this just reminds me of how every time an artist releases an album, it's always their "best album to date". Given how much marketing is a part of everything today, I'd think it's part of boxing and MMA too. What is a fighter supposed to say? "I think I have a slightly above-average chance of winning the fight"? At any rate, being positive is a core part of being prepared psychologically for the fights, so they must believe they're going to win.
Oh absolutely, it's also a part of the game. It especially goes for Conor, he needs to pump those pay per view numbers as he is still nobody in the boxing world. Floyd doesn't have to do a lot on this front as he invested both time and money in building his personal brand. However, I'd not underestimate the effect when these talks go over certain limits. These guys are fighters with tremendous egos and therefore with a slightly lower threshold for aggressiveness than you and me (maybe, ha, ha). It can be devastating if someone clearly starts to mess with the other's head.
Oh I don't know if they got lower thresholds! First, they can be more easily sued when they're professionals. Second, they let out steam in the gym every day. Third, being around that kind of environment, there must be a lot of talk and advice over the years on how to control your aggression. So I think, because by definition they are more 'intelligently aggressive' than us, we're much more liable to do something stupid in that arena!