Author: Tom Sunderland

Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor Reportedly Set to Break All Gambling Records

Conor McGregor’s much-anticipated matchup against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Saturday, August 26 is reportedly on course to “break all records” for bets on boxing in the United Kingdom.
According to Daniel Matthews of MailOnline, the value of stakes place…

Conor McGregor’s much-anticipated matchup against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Saturday, August 26 is reportedly on course to “break all records” for bets on boxing in the United Kingdom.

According to Daniel Matthews of MailOnline, the value of stakes placed on the boxing bout will “easily reach” between £200 million and £300 million in high-street bookmaker bets.

Betfair spokesman Barry Orr talked up the fight’s potential to beat all records that came before and said:

“It’s absolutely mind-blowing. It seems to have captured the betting public’s imagination like we have never seen before. Not just in terms of boxing events but sporting events.

“Industry wide, it’s one of the biggest sporting events that’s going to be bet on for a long, long time. I think it’s going to break all records.”

Betfair took in a reported £8.9 million of bets for Mayweather’s last high-profile bout, against Manny Pacquiao in 2015. To put the magnitude of this fight into context, Betfair has already taken £20 million in stakes for McGregor vs. Mayweather.

Underdog McGregor has unsurprisingly accounted for more of the stakes placed, although the value has gradually lessened since markets opened, as shown by Odds Shark.

Most of the big-stake bets, meanwhile, continue to be placed on Mayweather, who is stepping out of retirement after almost two years out of the ring so he can attempt to seal his 50-0 record against a pro debutant.

Several key events, it’s noted by Matthews, have influenced punters’ opinions. It’s said more than £1.5 million worth of bets was placed in the hours after it was confirmed the fighters would wear eight-ounce gloves rather than the usual 10-ounce.

A sell-out press tour and endless back-and-forth barbs have also lent themselves well to the drama and spectacle, and ESPN’s David Payne illustrated how it’s The Notorious who appears to be winning that duel:

The Independent’s Luke Brown reported a potential prize purse of $390 million (£300 million) could see the fighters break new records, but the punters’ involvement means fans could have a hand making this the biggest fight ever, too.

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Mayweather vs. McGregor Purse: Known Prize-Money Payouts and Best Odds

Less than one week remains until Conor McGregor makes his professional boxing debut against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a bout many fans of the cross-code meeting have dubbed the “Fight of the Century.”
If nothing else, the Saturday, August 26 fixture look…

Less than one week remains until Conor McGregor makes his professional boxing debut against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a bout many fans of the cross-code meeting have dubbed the “Fight of the Century.”

If nothing else, the Saturday, August 26 fixture looks set to break new ground in revenue and become the most lucrative fight in boxing history. The Independent’s Luke Brown reported the prize purse will be “worth around $390 million (£300 million),” while total revenue is expected to reach $500 million.

That would beat the $410 million that the Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao bout in 2015 brought in, per the Mirror‘s Sean McPolin.

Bookmakers opened with McGregor as a major underdog to beat 49-0 Mayweather in his boxing bow, but MMA reporter Chamatkar Sandhu showed how the Irishman is now more favoured than ever:

Read on for a roundup of the latest winner stakes for McGregor‘s meeting with “Money” Mayweather, complete with a breakdown of the best odds available, courtesy of OddsShark and Oddschecker.com.

          

Fight Odds

Floyd Mayweather Jr: 1-4

Draw: 33-1

Conor McGregor: 3-1

Fight to go the distance: Yes (+200, bet $100 to win $200), No (-275)

         

Odds Preview

Since it was announced that UFC lightweight champion McGregor had sealed his lucrative boxing date opposite Mayweather, pugilists have posed that the transition from MMA would be too great for him to have any chance at an upset.

But as the press tour advanced and McGregor showed glimpses of his promise, namely after releasing footage showing him appear to knock down former two-time world champion Paulie Malignaggi in sparring, his odds have fallen.

And unlike Malignaggi, Mayweather has been retired for almost two years, and turned 40 since he last laced up his gloves in a professional fixture, beating Andre Berto by unanimous decision in September 2015.

Granted, Money stays match-ready almost year-round, but it’s also significant both fighters have had only two months or so of preparation, and MMA reporter Ariel Helwani noted how quickly the date has come around:

It seems unlikely Mayweather—who has gone the distance in his last seven fights and last scored a knockout in 2011—will finish the fight if it does end early, but his 3-1 odds of doing so could hold some value.

McGregor, 29, is worth more in that regard, though, and appears the more probable fighter to score a knockout considering he’s finished opponents in seven of his nine UFC victories. The Irishman is priced at 8-1 to knock out Mayweather.

Money is poised to encounter a foe the likes of which he’s never experienced before, and MMA commentator Jon Anik recently discussed with OddsShark whether that will work in favour of the underdog:

If McGregor is to pull off the upset, it seems an early barrage may be his best method of doing so, as Mayweather is too prone to seeing off opponents with relative ease entering the latter stages of his fights.

Either fighter to win between rounds one and four is listed at 3-1, while The Notorious is a tempting 5-1 to finish matters in the first six rounds, covering a lot of bases for a fighter entering new ground.

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Report: LeBron James, Drake Among Celebrities to Attend Mayweather vs. McGregor

NBA star LeBron James, rapper Drake and Hollywood headliner Angelina Jolie will be just some of the celebrities in attendance when Conor McGregor takes on Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas on Aug. 26.
TMZ Sports revealed a partial list of the star…

NBA star LeBron James, rapper Drake and Hollywood headliner Angelina Jolie will be just some of the celebrities in attendance when Conor McGregor takes on Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas on Aug. 26.

TMZ Sports revealed a partial list of the star attendees set to witness arguably the biggest combat sports event in recent history. It will also count Denzel Washington, LL Cool J and technology pioneer Elon Musk among its spectators.

The action looks set to carry on after the bout, too, as TMZ reported there will be some of the “wildest afterparties of the year.”

The inter-combat sport showdown is expected to draw attention like few others as McGregor makes his professional boxing debut against 49-0 Mayweather, returning after almost two years retired.

The script writes itself, but while The Notorious was once offered impossible odds to emerge victorious, ESPN Stats & Info recently illustrated how his chances have steadily improved in the weeks leading up to their duel:

Other actors and actresses expected to be in attendance include Jamie Foxx, Charlize Theron and known fight fan Mark Wahlberg. The latter told JOE.ie in June he predicts a stiffer contest than some may expect:

The Aug. 26 meeting is expected to break new ground in more ways than one. The Independent’s Luke Brown reported an expected fight purse of $500 million (£390 million) is likely to be up for grabs.

Both Mayweather and McGregor tend to draw star-studded audiences to their matchups, and a meeting between the two will make for one mega-meeting of glitz and glamour.

Multiplatinum award-winning artist Justin Bieber has accompanied Money for his ring walks against Manny Pacquiao, Marcos Maidana and Canelo Alvarez, but even he recently told TMZ he doesn’t see his companion knocking McGregor out.

There’s no word as to whether Bieber will again walk alongside Mayweather at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in just over a week’s time, as if any more star power was needed at the venue.

There are sure to be a host of celebrities and stars who show up without any prior warning, with one of the biggest fights in recent history swiftly drawing in an elite crowd to match the occasion.

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Drug Dealer Says He Gave Conor McGregor ‘A Few Slaps’ in Street Fight

Ultimate Fighting Championship superstar Conor McGregor received “a few slaps” in a street fight against a drug dealer while growing up in Dublin, the aggressor has revealed.
Speaking to ESPN The Magazine’s Wright Thompson ahead of The Notorious’ …

Ultimate Fighting Championship superstar Conor McGregor received “a few slaps” in a street fight against a drug dealer while growing up in Dublin, the aggressor has revealed.

Speaking to ESPN The Magazine‘s Wright Thompson ahead of The Notorious’ August 26 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather, former dealer Johno Frazer said McGregor refused to join his line of work and opted for the safer route of plumbing.

He also relayed a story about one violent encounter with the man who would go on to become the UFC’s first duel-weight champion: “I gave Conor a few slaps. I was in a gang. Conor wasn’t in a gang. He went walking up the Crumlin Road with a girl I was with, and I hit him.”

          

This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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Tyron Woodley Says Georges St-Pierre Won’t Fight Him Over Fear of Concussion

UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley has said returning mixed martial arts superstar Georges St-Pierre won’t fight him because he “doesn’t want to come in and take the concussion.”
Speaking to TMZ regarding the prospect of fighting St-Pierre in what…

UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley has said returning mixed martial arts superstar Georges St-Pierre won’t fight him because he “doesn’t want to come in and take the concussion.”

Speaking to TMZ regarding the prospect of fighting St-Pierre in what would be his first fight since November 2013, Woodley insisted the Canadian “doesn’t want” the brand of punishment he would unleash:

GSP was scheduled to come out of retirement to face middleweight champion Michael Bisping before UFC President Dana White cancelled the bout following numerous delays, per Fox Sports’ Damon Martin.

         

This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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Ronda Rousey ‘Probably’ Will Retire, No Talks on Next Fight, Per Dana White

Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is “probably going to retire” from mixed martial arts, according to organisation president Dana White.
Speaking to ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto, White explained that while “Rowdy” remained a part of …

Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is “probably going to retire” from mixed martial arts, according to organisation president Dana White.

Speaking to ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto, White explained that while “Rowdy” remained a part of the UFC’s anti-doping programme, she has no fight plans and will likely step away from the sport before returning:

“I think people realize she’s probably going to retire.“

“That’s not because she had to, that’s the way Ronda Rousey is built. Ronda Rousey is super competitive and doesn’t like to lose. I know she’s been criticized for that by a lot of people, but that’s just who she is and the way she is.

“And the way she is, is what made everybody get behind her. It’s what blew up the women’s divisions. Now she’s going to move on to the next chapter of her life, get married and have kids, do that thing. It’s not sad, it’s the way she wanted it.”

            

This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com