Listen Now:  

Mayweather v McGregor – Some Views From UK

Posted on 08/24/2017

By Thomas Nicholls

Well, the highest grossing Boxing event of all time is upon us.

No, it’s not GGG vs Canelo. It’s one of the greatest boxers of all time up against someone who has never had a professional boxing bout before – and people are giving McGregor a chance. Bizarre.


Photo: Esther Lin/Showtime

Mayweather has earned fortunes from people paying ticket money and PPV subscriptions in the hope that he gets knocked out. He plays the villain like no other.

McGregor like Mosley, De La Hoya, Cotto, Hatton, Canelo, Pacquiao has a puncher’s chance and a puncher’s chance only, the only difference is that the aforementioned were elite level world champions. Mayweather has beaten 24 world champions in fact.

Without meaning to come across like a bore or a “purist”, this is simply a spectacle, I’d liken it to a Hollywood movie – completely unrealistic but everyone will pay to watch it anyway. Me being one of them may I add.

When the fight was first touted, I had a look at the Pre-fight betting and wasn’t surprised to see McGregor at 25/1, yet as the fight night draws closer you can now get as little as 3/1 on the Dubliner. Indication that a wave of people are backing the upset.

One of the great things we all enjoy about a big fight is the circus beforehand, as they sell the fight and the animosity grows, people have their say on who will win and how, but I find it hard to take anyone waving the McGregor flag seriously.

I’m a big fan of Conor McGregor as is pretty much everybody here in the UK and the idea of him “flattening” Mayweather in two or three rounds is an amazing fantasy but unfortunately that is all it is. We wouldn’t mind seeing Mayweather on the canvas after all would we.

This fight is simply a money spinner and you can’t begrudge any man earning a fortune from their craft, especially not those that fight to entertain us, but a “Money Belt” from the WBC? Seriously? The most intriguing aspect of the big fight nights is the pride on the line, the belts swapping hands and the doors that are opened and closed for the winner and loser. When Mayweather wins this he’ll retire, when McGregor loses this he’ll have no one else to box. No one wants to watch him fight Paulie Malignaggi.

Cruiserweight World Champion Brit Tony Bellew is a huge fan of Mystic Mac, yet he can see the Irishman having little or no success, “McGregor can be hurt by average boxers, never mind the greatest boxer of our generation.

“People will be in absolute shock when they see how easy this is going to be for Mayweather”

“Canelo Alvarez couldn’t beat him. Ricky Hatton couldn’t touch him. Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao both tried and both failed. Mayweather doesn’t get called one of the greats for nothing”

“Shane Mosley hit him clean on the button and look how Mayweather reacted. He took the shot and regained his composure very quickly. He didn’t go down. He still dominated the fight. Conor McGregor does not hit anywhere near as hard as Shane Mosley. I’m sorry, he just doesn’t.”

Former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis was also lacking the pre-fight buzz “There is tremendous build-up and hype but I don’t really take it as a serious fight”. He added, “nothing is ever obvious when it comes to gimmicks and hype, but Mayweather should win it”. “No other boxers from 49 fights have figured out how to beat Mayweather – now a UFC fighter that doesn’t even have a boxing career is trying to beat him at boxing – I think it’s a farce to a certain degree”.

However, former super middleweight world champion Chris Eubank told SkySports . “I get something that many are missing and that is the fact that he is an Irishman and the Irish when it comes to warfare have ghost like spirits” He added “I’ve seen it, I’ve lived it, I have a knowledge which you can only learn through going through that vortex. There was no way Steve Collins could’ve beaten me, he had nothing on me and yet beat me, twice!”

“So, what I say about this particular fight is we know that McGregor has heart, he’s hard and he can take a beating, absorb punishment and he is a winner”.

So, fight night is nearly here and I hope it’s competitive but it won’t be. Not a chance. For those willing to put money on McGregor, you shouldn’t. For those saying Mayweather’s too old, he isn’t and for those think McGregor has the power to stop Floyd, he hasn’t.

I’m sure it’ll be entertaining all the same. 50 & 0, over & out.

Leave a Comment

More Columns

Listen to my podcast
WHAT'S
Trending

Sorry. No data so far.


FOLLOW
BoxingInsider
ABOUT

Established in 1997 as a premier boxing destination. The staff of BoxingInsider.com love hearing from people all over the world.

© 2024 BOXINGINSIDER LLC
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


SUBSCRIBE TODAY