The upcoming Floyd Mayweather/Conor McGregor mega fight suggests a major money grab and a glaring mismatch.
For one thing each fighter displays entirely different skill sets…applicable to two different sports. Mayweather, a brilliant boxer, uses a cerebral objectivity to outthink his opponents, and his undefeated record of 49 wins, 0 losses matches his nearly 20-year success story as a pugilist.
McGregor, on the other hand, is a mixed-martial artist. At any time inside the octagon he can KO an opponent with either hand. He also has a tenacious ground game and an impressive record of 21 wins, 3 losses, with 18 KOs and 1-3 submissions. His work is very impressive.
Why are they fighting? Money. Lots of it. Pay Per View numbers could exceed an estimated 4.5 million buys…a staggering number given the fact Mayweather is a boxer, while McGregor is a martial artist.
The big fight held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is less than six weeks away. McGregor, a sturdy, high octane combatant, can’t use his elbows, feet, or nasty spinning back kicks on Floyd. Although he has probably thought about it, he has agreed to abide by the Marquess of Queensberry Rules.
In America, sports addicted millennials gaze at Teddy Atlas on a plasma screen on the wall of their favorite sports bar. Huddled in small, isolated groups, they guzzle a few cold ones and listen to Teddy’s fight prediction.
“The odds are tipping toward a Mayweather mismatch.” Teddy explains in a head feinting, herky-jerky, bobbing and weaving motion.
“Unless you’re a rabbit coming out of a rabbit hole after unloading a fresh stash of carrots on a warm summer day, it is what it is.” Teddy breaks into another one of his timeless, long winded, yet thoroughly hilarious analogies. Somehow he carries the analogy over and plants it like a sweet smelling rose into the middle of his fight analysis.
“You can’t be human,” Teddy says, “if you see it any other way than what it is…a colossal mismatch. Not saying McGregor doesn’t have a chance… because he does… but it’s a puncher’s chance. And a 28- year-old guy in his prime like McGregor can crack.”
Mega fight sparks global interest: Chatter about the mega fight is not just an American phenomenon. In sports bars all over the world from Canada to fight-crazed Brazil, to the moderately conservative European theater, people are talking.
Fight night scenario: On fight night here is a likely scenario. Money May will be gliding, sidestepping, running, shoulder rolling with his back against the ropes. He will move like a ballet dancer out to the center of the ring at long range again, firing pot shots at McGregor, on his way to a comfortable unanimous decision victory over 12 dull rounds of boxing.
As for McGregor, it’s not a reach to imagine him winging blows from impossible angles but swatting air.
Alas, dear reader, this is why the BIG FIGHT becomes nothing but a colossal mismatch.
By Mike Sullivan
Based in Bangkok, Thailand, Mike Sullivan is an author of thriller novels and a freelance writer. Reach him at mikelamlula@gmail.com.