The Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor lineup has taken a note from the UFC, where the Irishman is a star.
That’s because the card for the megafight is surprisingly stacked for a boxing event. The main fight is undoubtedly the marquee special, but fans of quality boxing will want to make sure to tune in at 9 p.m. ET when all the action is scheduled to kick off.
There’s an interesting blend of up-and-coming stars, mid-tier champions and contenders looking to bounce back. One thing they’ll all have in common is the ability to impress in front of plenty of fans. The over-under for PPV buys is set at 4.9 million, per Darren Rovell of ESPN.
Even if a fraction of those viewers tune in, that’s a huge spot to gain some notoriety and capitalize on the spectacle.
Here’s a look at the complete schedule and predictions for some of the biggest fights that will lead up to the McGregor-Mayweather showdown.
Main Card (9 p.m. ET)
- Floyd Mayweather Jr. (USA, 49-0) vs. Conor McGregor (IRE, debut), light middleweight
- Gervonta Davis (USA, 18-0) vs. Francisco Fonseca (CRC, 19-0-1), IBF super featherweight title
- Nathan Cleverly (GBR, 30-3) vs. Badou Jack (SWE, 21-1-2), WBA (regular) light heavyweight title
- Andrew Tabiti (USA, 14-0) vs. Steve Cunningham (USA, 29-8-1), USBA cruiserweight title
Preliminary Card
- Juan Heraldez (USA, 12-0) vs. Jose Miguel Borrego (MEX, 13-0), welterweight
- Kevin Newman (USA, 7-0-1) vs. Antonio Hernandez (USA, 9-1-0), super middleweight
- Savannah Marshall (GBR, debut) vs. Amy Coleman (USA, debut), women’s super middleweight.
Gervonta Davis vs. Francisco Fonseca
If you’re looking for a powerful lefty who is able to turn out the lights with just one punch, Gervonta Davis might be your man on Saturday night. The 22-year-old southpaw draws the co-main event spot when he defends his IBF super featherweight title against Francisco Fonseca.
On the surface, one would think this is a close matchup between two undefeated fighters. Don’t be fooled, this is a showcase spot for Davis, who has a bright future.
Davis is a young champion with dynamite in his hands. His perfect 18-0 record is highlighted by 17 stoppage wins. His knockouts have been featured on both Showtime and Premier Boxing, so it’s a natural progression that he should be showcased on pay-per-view for the first time with his promoter Floyd Mayweather anchoring the card.
Fonseca is also undefeated, but this is a massive step up in competition. This will be his first fight stateside, and while Davis is fighting his third unbeaten opponent in a row, Fonseca’s recent resume includes guys with sub-.500 records.
Look for Davis to put his exciting speed and power on display in an exciting finish.
Prediction: Davis by fourth-round TKO
Nathan Cleverly vs. Badou Jack
For boxing purists who aren’t thrilled about the idea of a novice boxer getting the chance to fight the Money man, the light heavyweight matchup between Nathan Cleverly and Badou Jack is the main event.
Cleverly will look to defend his WBA light heavyweight title after beating Jurgen Brahmer to win the title last October. Clev won the bout in the sixth round due to a dislocated elbow for the German, but the bout was close up to that point.
While Clev is officially the champion, it isn’t as though he’s on a hot streak. The iffy win over Brahmer combined with a unanimous-decision loss to Andrzej Fonfara leaves the champion’s form in a questionable place heading into his title bout with Jack.
Still, he understands the magnitude of the opportunity.
“Every fight is big because each fight is important in its own right,” Cleverly said, per Daniel Matthews of the MailOnline. “(But) on an exposure level…this fight is exceptionally important and (in) helping me break through to elite level, it is the most important fight.”
The challenger will present a difficult task for the reigning champion. Jack is moving up to 175 pounds from 168 pounds, but he does so with some impressive performances to his name. He was the WBC World Super Middleweight titleholder but vacated the belt to chase this one after fighting James DeGale to a draw.
How he’ll look in the new weight class is an interesting storyline to watch, but he’s been consistently more impressive than Cleverly in recent performances.
Cleverly might be used to boxing at the heavier weight, but there’s only a one-inch reach advantage for the champion. That’s not going to be enough to consistently stick the challenger on the outside, and Jack will be able to score at close range.
Prediction: Jack by unanimous decision
Andrew Tabiti vs. Steve Cunningham
Kicking off the main card will be a matchup that once again looks to showcase an up-and-comer. Andrew Tabiti has the opportunity to take a huge step forward in becoming a serious threat in the cruiserweight division.
Tabiti is not only getting the opportunity to fight in front of plenty of fans on Saturday, but he’ll do so against a veteran who has a lot of credibility in Steve Cunningham. The 41-year-old is a two-time champion in the division and longtime contender.
Cunningham’s days as an elite-level fighter in the division are over, though. He is 1-2-1 in his last four fights, with the sole win coming in a six-round bout with Felipe Romero by decision.
That isn’t a great harbinger of things to come against the 27-year-old Tabiti. The Chicago native has shown the ability to end fights with his power, as 12 of his 14 wins have come by way of stoppage.
Cunningham is by far the most experienced and accomplished fighter Tabiti has faced, so he might be able to test him in ways that he hasn’t been tested before. However, it shouldn’t impact the final result. Tabiti will take advantage of the opportunity.
Prediction: Tabiti by sixth-round TKO
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com