Tag: Mayweather vs. McGregor Megafight

Conor McGregor is viewed as a heavy underdog for his Aug. 26 fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr., but that hasn’t stopped fans from throwing money on the UFC lightweight champion.

As a result of the betting, CBSSports.com’s Brian Campbell reported Mayweather’s odds have declined while McGregor‘s have improved. According to Campbell, Bovada has Mayweather as a 2-9 favorite, with McGregor sporting 13-4 odds.

To put those odds in perspective, Mayweather opened as a 2-45 favorite, while McGregor was a 19-2 underdog, according to OddsShark.

The fact McGregor has closed the gap so much could be evidence the four-city promotional tour he and Mayweather went on in July not only helped build interest in the fight but also established McGregor as more of an equal to Mayweather in the eyes of fans (Warning: video contains NSFW language).

Mayweather also did his best to put over McGregor in an interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

“He’s a lot younger. When you look at myself and Conor McGregor on paper, he’s taller, has a longer reach, he’s a bigger man from top to bottom,” Mayweather said. “He’s a lot younger, so youth is on his side. And I’ve been off a couple of years. And I’m in my 40s. So, if you look at everything on paper, it leans toward Conor McGregor.”

Still, none of that changes the fact McGregor is approaching his first professional boxing fight and facing off against one of the greatest defensive boxers ever, who also hasn’t lost in 49 professional bouts.

And clips from McGregor’s training have arguably hurt the perception of his ability in the ring:

Particularly those who backed McGregor shortly after the fight was announced could pad their bank accounts if McGregor is victorious on Aug. 26.

McGregor is the underdog for a reason, though, and him beating Mayweather would represent one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted Wednesday to appoint longtime boxing referee Robert Byrd to officiate the fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor on Aug. 26 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie passed along the news and also noted Burt Clements, Dave Moretti and Guido Cavalleri were selected as judges for the bout.

Byrd, a member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, will be placed in charge of one of the year’s most hyped sporting events.

His task could be more pressing than his typical assignments due to McGregor’s limited boxing experience. The UFC lightweight champion will be making his first foray into a boxing ring after skyrocketing to fame inside the Octagon.

In July, Dave Doyle of MMA Fighting relayed comments from famed MMA trainer Pat Miletich about how the UFC superstar would need to “cheat within the rules” to have a chance.

“It’s got to be that close to a street fight,” Miletich said during an appearance on The MMA Hour, via Doyle. “Get two warnings for everything before they take a point, and look, if you get a point taken, you get a point taken. It’s not like he’s winning on the cards anyway. I’m just being honest.”

In addition, the three judges will be under intense scrutiny after Waleska Roldan, Chris Flores and Ramon Cerdan shockingly gave Jeff Horn a unanimous decision victory over Manny Pacquiao last month in boxing’s most recent marquee fight.

The variables created by McGregor’s attempt to take on one of the best boxers in history puts more pressure on the referee and the judges. The NSAC’s choices made Wednesday could have a meaningful impact on the outcome in 10 days.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. is so focused on his upcoming bout with Conor McGregor, he is apparently cutting back some of his activities outside the ring. 

According to TMZ Sports, Mayweather said he “absolutely” will abstain from having sex before the much-anticipated boxing match. Mayweather and McGregor will square off Aug. 26 in Las Vegas. 

The comment came in a video exchange with a reporter, which TMZ Sports posted on its website:

TMZ Sports also noted Mayweather’s opponent may not be following the same protocol. In 2015, McGregor told talk show host Conan O’Brien, “That is most certainly a superstition that I do not abide by…I definitely have as much sex as possible.”

McGregor will need as much energy as he can muster against Mayweather considering “Money” is a perfect 49-0 in his illustrious boxing career and is known for his lightning quickness and ability to avoid direct blows from his opponents with his quick footwork.

As for Mayweather, he hasn’t stepped inside the ring since he defeated Andre Berto in September 2015. He coming out of retirement to fight McGregor. 

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