Jess Harbour's Role in the Ring on Floyd Mayweather - Conor McGregor Fight Night

6 sept 2017

Jess Harbour sponsored by Corona beer at the Floyd Mayweather Conor McGregor fight in Las Vegas

Here, Jess stands just a few feet away from Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather.

A fight for the century, framed by fame and fueled by money, August 26th, 2017 would go down in sports history. Set in the glitzy city of Las Vegas, Nevada, the lights were bright and the red carpet was rolled out. Celebrities like Lebron James, Jennifer Lopez, and Mike Tyson filed in, ready for the fight. Boxing gloves at its center and a king in each corner, Mayweather vs. McGregor promised to be the match of a lifetime, and for a chosen few, a special memory never to be forgotten. While spectators tried desperately to catch a glimpse of greatness, ring girls, announcers, trainers, and coaches held first-hand positions in the ring.

K&N Calendar girl Jessica Harbour was one of the chosen few. She didn’t even know she would be serving as a ring card girl until days before the fight — “We found out just the week before that Corona had finally gotten through negotiations and that we got the fight! I have worked with Corona boxing as a ring card girl since 2012 and am very blessed to be one of the main ring card models for the West Coast. I have done many boxing matches and even one Mayweather fight in the past (Mayweather vs. Maidana), but nothing to this scale because there has never been a bigger fight!”

Through Corona, Jess landed a coveted spot inside the ring on fight night, but that’s not all. She worked all of the events in which Corona sponsored models were involved. She shares:

Jess was sponsored by Corona Beer and for that was selected as one of the ring girls for the fight

“My schedule was:

Tuesday - Fighter arrival

Wednesday - Mayweather-McGregor Press Conference

Thursday - Undercard Press Conference

Friday - Weigh In

Saturday- The Fights!!!”

This is honestly unbelievable considering the hype around this fight—that one person would have access to all of these events. Jess did though. When asked how she got this once in a lifetime opportunity, she humbly responds, “All of the ladies who represent Corona for the agency ‘Friasworks’ are so stunning and put in hard work, so I imagine it was really hard to choose. Our boss wanted as many ladies as possible to get to experience the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight, so we switched off and had 6 other girls card the main fight. The only reason, I'm sure, I was included in all of the events is because I'm the only blonde.”

Jess poses with a fellow model during one of the events the week before fight night

With her beautiful blonde locks functioning as a VIP pass, Jess was in the middle of the action. She describes her role saying, “My job in all of these events in general is to pose in pictures for press and rep Corona, in addition to fan pictures. During the fights, we get to hold the ring card.” This gig sounds easy breezy, but Jess recalls some crazy moments during the press conferences. Anyone watching could see the tension on stage, the brute desire to prove strength and dominance. Jess was thrown around a few times when the fighters or their posses would crowd in. She admits, “At times, when they would face off the fighters, the security and entourage would rush around and push and shove me to be right next to the action, where it is my job to stand still and pose.” These tussles only added to the adrenaline of an already energized event. The crowds were buzzing, the fighters were ready, and Jess was having the time of her life.

These opportunities and appearances enabled Jess to be up close and personal with two of the greatest fighters in the world. UFC and MMA fans were just as invested as boxing enthusiasts. The feisty Irishman, Conor Mcgregor, and athletic American, Floyd Mayweather, were sure to pull huge pay-per-view numbers: Jess had the added bonus of worldwide exposure as millions streamed the fight. She understands the significance of it all saying, “It was very exciting to be on the stage with such legends at such a legendary event. The fans are so crazy it makes the events that much more exciting - the singing, cheering, and yelling gave me chills the whole time! I have never seen anything like it. I feel incredibly humbled and blessed to have been a part of the whole fight week in Las Vegas.”

When asked for a highlight besides being in the ring on fight night, Jess gushes “Holding the money belt was very thrilling. It was so beautifully made, and as the name states, worth a freaking lot of money.”