Tag: Preview/Prediction

Conor McGregor truly believed he could beat the finest boxer of his generation, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

And why not? After all, his every other dream had come true, brought to life by the law of attraction. It had worked in the past, even when it made no sense to anyone else. Why couldn’t it work again on the grandest stage of them all?

For nine magical minutes, with thousands of fans cheering his every blow, McGregor appeared on his way to making combat sports history and actualizing his wildest fantasy. The man critics said shouldn’t even be in the ring was the aggressor, throwing punches in volume and bullying Mayweather in the clinch.

HBO analyst Max Kellerman famously claimed McGregor wouldn’t land a single punch. Instead, he snapped the boxing champion’s head back several times and earned the respect boxing analysts refused to initially concede.

But when Mayweather started fighting back in the fourth round, and the fists began flying on both sides, belief turned out not to be enough. Not when pitted against more than three decades of carefully honed craft. McGregor searched for a weakness and found none. All he found was guile and two balled fists, carefully preserved for one final violent dance.

Despite his best attempts to delay the inevitable, McGregor soon found himself at a loss, heaving for breath and eating punch after punch. Mayweather landed 58 percent of the power punches he winged McGregor‘s way, many of them accurate blows that accumulated as the minutes flew past.

By the ninth round, Mayweather was chasing McGregor around the ring, the reckless gunslinger of his youth back for one final showdown. McGregor teetered but never fell. His courage throughout was never in doubt. In the 10th round, referee Robert Byrd stepped in as a hurt and exhausted McGregor wobbled around the ring.

He didn’t win, but even in defeat McGregor defied expectations.

“I thought I took the early rounds pretty handily,” McGregor said after the fight. “He had to change his style, and he adjusted.

“He’s composed. He’s not that fast, he’s not that powerful, but boy is he composed. He was patient with his shots. He’s had a great career. What can I say? I had a bit of fun and hopefully entertained the fans.”

In the arena at least, fans seemed more than satisfied. The Irish fans had painted the town orange, green and white in the days before the fight, and their passion inspired—but in the end it’s only you and another man in the ring. They roared every time McGregor appeared on the big screen and chanted throughout the night, most intensely after McGregor stuck his tongue out defiantly in the sixth round.

That, of course, was also when things took a turn for the worse. Cheers were not enough when a steady diet of body shots and the rigorous requirements of the ring finally began to weigh on the UFC star. Three straight rights rocked him in the seventh, and by the ninth round Mayweather was routinely landing flush punches to the head. It was violence delivered in intimate quarters, first in a sudden, sharp staccato and later in a melody of clubbing, almost reckless blows.

Before the fight, Mayweather, known as a brilliant defensive wizard who put out flames rather than fan them, promised he’d come forward and bring the action. It was a pledge he kept after a slow start, pursuing McGregor throughout the middle rounds in a way fans hadn’t seen in years.

“Our game plan was to take our time, go to him, let him shoot his shots early and then take him out down the stretch,” Mayweather said. “We know in MMA he fights for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, he started to slow down. I guaranteed to everybody that this wouldn’t go the distance.”

As the clock continued to click, McGregor‘s chances at victory receded further into the rear view. Mayweather walked right through McGregor‘s increasingly languid punches and delivered punishment in a fight that became one-sided quickly. 

The two men brought the best out of each other. After all the talk about McGregor‘s fearsome power, Mayweather wanted to prove a point by being the aggressor. His total disregard for the MMA fighter’s ability to hurt him let Mayweather put caution aside and swing for the fences with every punch. That, in turn, allowed McGregor to show his mettle and courage. 

“I could have easily outboxed and counterpunched Conor McGregor all night,” Mayweather said. “That’s not what I wanted to do. I wanted to go out with a bang.”

Somehow, even in Mayweather’s best moments, it was McGregor who came out looking like a hero. He was in his first professional boxing match and hanging tough with a legitimate legend, a man who will be remembered as one of the best of all time. 

“He’s a lot better than I thought he’d be,” Mayweather admitted. “He’s a tough competitor, but I was the better man tonight.”

It was an event where, amazingly, everyone walked away a winner.

Mayweather managed to surpass the great Rocky Marciano by pushing his record to 50-0 in his final bout. Promoters most likely broke gate and pay-per-view records. And McGregor proved to the doubters that he was, if not a masterful technician, a valiant warrior.

“He did the UFC proud,” Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe said. “He did his country proud. And he should keep his head held high.”

Before the bout, internet critics ran rampant. But there was a clear disconnect between some reporters and the public, which embraced the fight and made it the kind of spectacle few will forget, half Evel Knievel stunt show and half athletic contest.

On Twitter, there were 9.1 million tweets about the bout, indicating epic interest. PPV demand was so high that servers crashed in California and Florida, causing a delay in the main event. In Las Vegas, Irish fans abounded. While many couldn’t afford the high prices to get into the fight, they packed the restaurants and casinos selling the fight on closed circuit for $165.

“You have to have negative people,” UFC President Dana White said. “It creates debate and back-and-forth. But Conor McGregor is a fighter, and we saw a fight tonight.”

McGregor may not have walked away with a victory, but as Mayweather departs the stage, McGregor did enough to snatch the combat sports crown. When he returns to the Octagon, his star will shine as brightly as ever. He went into the fight as the biggest star UFC has ever produced. He leaves it as nothing short of an icon, bigger than MMA, boxing or even athletics.

After the fight, he came out to address the media in a custom-made suit, carrying a bottle of Irish whiskey and having a heck of a good time.

“It was a bit of fun, right?” he asked Mayweather. “A bit of fun.”

If he wasn’t a winner, he was doing a darned good impression of one. McGregor, strangely enough, is at his most endearing in defeat. He gave credit to his conqueror and acknowledged his own faults, all while never losing his smile or track of the fact the future is promising indeed. Still just 29, he seemed open to opportunities, whether in the UFC Octagon or the boxing ring.

“Oh, that Irish whiskey tastes so good,” he yelled at one point, addressing every question with honesty and verve, reveling in a promise kept.

“I’m just relishing in it right now,” McGregor said. “…I love a good fight, and tonight was a damn good fight.”

McGregor, most on press row agreed, had earned the right to smile and have a drink or three. He stepped into the lion’s den with the world waiting for him to be a laughingstock. Instead, he left an even bigger star.

The past was already little more than a memory, and the future stared us right in the face. Everyone walked away a winner—in combat sports, you can’t ask for more than that.

Jonathan Snowden covers combat sports for Bleacher Report.

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One of the biggest boxing spectacles in recent memory is finally here, as Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. and “The Notorious” Conor McGregor will clash Saturday night after months of speculation, negotiation and trash talk.

The bout is undoubtedly one-sided on paper, as Mayweather boasts a career record of 49-0, while McGregor has never competed in a professional boxing match.

Despite that, the draw of both fighters has generated a ton of interest within the combat sports world. It marks the first high-profile instance of one of boxing’s biggest stars and one of UFC’s largest stars clashing in a dream fight that few ever thought possible.

Now that the dream is about to become reality, here is everything you need to know about how to watch Mayweather versus McGregor and follow along with live, round-by-round updates.

Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

When: Saturday, Aug. 26. Main card starts at 9 p.m. ET.

Watch: Showtime PPV

Round-by-Round Updates

Follow Bleacher Report’s live blog for updates throughout the night as well as round-by-round analysis of the main event between Mayweather and McGregor.

Mayweather’s Keys to Victory

McGregor is the reigning UFC lightweight champion and his combat skills are undeniable, but he is stepping into a realm he is largely unfamiliar with and doing so against one of the greatest to ever don a pair of boxing gloves.

If Mayweather sticks with his typical game plan of being conservative, avoiding big shots and picking apart McGregor on the scorecard, then he should have no issue winning the fight handily.

Based on the 40-year-old veteran’s comments entering the fight, however, he is far more interested in stopping McGregor.

According to Martin Rogers and John Morgan of MMA Junkie, Mayweather believes winning by decision wouldn’t be enough to prove his superiority: “If the fight goes the distance it is a win for him. But I don’t think that is going to happen. He is going around saying that it will be over in four rounds, and he might be right. But it will be because I say so, and not him.”

Mayweather has been insistent on being aggressive and moving forward on McGregor, which is a strategy that could backfire.

Due to Mayweather’s boxing experience, though, he should be savvy enough to balance being the aggressor and not allowing McGregor to hurt him with any power punches.

Mayweather’s biggest enemy to combat is likely overconfidence. Although McGregor can’t compare to him in terms of what he has accomplished as a boxer, the Irishman is still a powerful puncher capable of inflicting pain.

As long as Mayweather fights a smart bout, it is difficult to envision a scenario other than him scoring a dominant victory.

McGregor’s Keys to Victory

Underdogs in boxing are often said to have a puncher’s chance since a single strike can end a fight, and that is representative of McGregor entering Saturday’s contest.

Mayweather hasn’t fought for two years and is 11 years McGregor’s senior, but he has been too good for too long to get outboxed by a fighter who could be considered a novice by comparison.

McGregor hasn’t admitted that publicly, but, much like Mayweather, he has made it his stated goal to win by knockout.

Per the Associated Press (h/t Fox Sports), McGregor believes he will end the fight early and hand Mayweather his first professional loss: “He’ll be unconscious inside two rounds, really one round, only for the 10-second count I will give him maybe surviving into the second.”

History suggests Mayweather will be nearly impossible to catch flush and knock out, but it is the most realistic option for McGregor when it comes to pulling off what would be a massive upset.

He likely doesn’t have the technique and acumen needed to truly box with Mayweather, which is why he needs to do everything possible to turn it into a brawl.

McGregor would benefit from being unorthodox and throwing things at Mayweather that he has never seen despite getting ready to compete in his 50th professional fight.

If there is no real rhyme or reason to what McGregor does in the ring, then he will at least give himself a chance to confuse Mayweather and throw him off his game.

Prediction

Although Mayweather is the heavy favorite, there is a feeling of unpredictability surrounding the fight due to McGregor’s lack of experience and Mayweather’s penchant for letting the bout come to him.

Saturday’s contest is far different from anything Mayweather has ever been involved in, and there is more pride on the line than usual since he is essentially fighting for the entire sport of boxing to prove that an outsider can’t step in and immediately succeed at the highest level.

McGregor has little to lose as the clear underdog, which gives him carte blanche to be aggressive and do everything possible to make Mayweather feel uncomfortable.

Mayweather is likely too quick and technically sound to incur much damage, though, and his experience alone will put him in solid position to catch McGregor napping and end the fight early.

Prediction: Mayweather wins by fifth-round knockout.

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Conor McGregor knows how to take advantage of an opportunity. Prior to putting his name on a contract to fight undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a boxing match, he was loud, egomaniacal, confident and charismatic.

Once he put his name on a contract to battle Mayweather at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, all of the above factors have gone up in multiples.

Many observers thought that a boxing match between a legendary champion and mixed martial artist would barely rate a blip on the sporting radar because it appeared to be a mismatch. But McGregor has convinced his supporters and the general public that such a perception is not necessarily the case.

McGregor has been promising to stop Mayweather inside of four rounds for weeks. Many fight fans are putting their money on McGregor as the interest in the pay-per-view fight has blossomed.

The biggest bets are on Mayweather, but Joe Fan has not been hesitant to go to the window and put his money on McGregor, per Justin Terranova of the New York Post.

“I’ve been lacing up the gloves my entire existence,” McGregor said, per Tim Dahlberg of the Associated Press (h/t Boston Globe). “Of course, we will come with a different approach than people are used to, we will paint many pictures inside the ring. It’s not going to end well for Floyd. It’s not going to end well for all the people who are doubting me and are so convinced that this is what it is.”

Interest is reaching fever pitch for the Saturday night fight, and McGregor appeared to have some kind of high temperature as he was screaming in Mayweather’s face Friday evening at the weigh-in. McGregor’s behavior appeared to look like he couldn’t wait to get in the ring with Mayweather, but the reality of fighting his opponent will be far more challenging than drumming up interest in the fight.

Mayweather has been relatively calm compared to the bombastic McGregor, but he offered this assessment of the fight. “After 21 years I’ve been hit with everything and I’m still right here,” Mayweather said. “If you give it, you must be able to take it.”

Mayweather’s greatest skill throughout his career is in the defensive aspects of boxing. He has been in the ring with hard punchers such as Miguel Cotto, Canelo Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao, and he rarely gets hit by power punches. He has almost never been hit by clean combinations that leave him in a vulnerable position.

He is getting in the ring with a boxing neophyte who is proposing to hammer Mayweather after a slew of talented and experienced fighters have barely been able to lay a glove on him.

Give McGregor credit for working as hard as possible to prepare for such an ordeal. He has been in the gym for weeks trying to improve his boxing skills, and he has spent hours riding a bicycle in the heat of the day in a further attempt to improve his stamina.

Mayweather has not come close to matching his opponent’s training efforts. He has spent his time meeting and greeting guests at his strip club, taking vacations and buying his family members gifts.

When he has been to the gym, Showtime’s All-Access cameras have shown him at his gym overseeing young fighter Gervonta “Tank” Davis, meeting celebrity friends like Snoop Dogg and occasionally hitting the speed bag. 

His level of training indicates that he has no respect for his opponent. If anything can do Mayweather in, it is that attitude.

Mayweather is a minus-375 favorite in the fight, according to OddsShark, but those odds have come way down since the start of the fight. McGregor is a plus-285 underdog. 

The gambling website reports that the original odds had Mayweather at minus-2250 and McGregor at plus-950, and they quickly moved to Mayweather at minus-800 and McGregor at plus-500. The odds have continued to move in the direction of the Irish fighter.

Prediction

When the two fighters finally make their way into the ring, reality is likely to hit McGregor hard.

He may be bigger, stronger and determined to win, but he has to find a way to hit Mayweather with hard punches. Mayweather is a master of avoiding contact in the ring, and once McGregor learns how difficult it is to make contact with his opponent, he will get frustrated.

McGregor has been talking about an early stoppage, and in some ways, that makes sense. The longer the fight goes, the more McGregor’s lack of boxing skill, acumen and experience will be exposed.

McGregor’s best option is to attempt to turn the fight into a toe-to-toe slugfest, but Mayweather will not oblige.

Mayweather’s defensive skill, quickness and quick jab will dominate the fight. Mayweather’s quick lefts will set up hard right hands, and he will punish McGregor. He is not going to stop his opponent, but Mayweather will take 11 or all 12 rounds and win a one-sided unanimous decision.

McGregor won’t like it and he may have many explanations after the boxing match, but they won’t matter. He will get beaten decisively.

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The most interesting fight of the year has finally arrived, with Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor just hours away from finally meeting in the ring. 

The pay-per-view event of the year has always been about the money, and it’s in line to make plenty of it. With an $89.95-99.95 price tag depending on whether you want high definition and buys expected to be through the roof, the two athletes will leave tonight even more wealthy than they were leading into the circus that was the pre-fight hype. 

But all that hype now gives way to an actual fight. As with any Mayweather bout, the question is whether it will be worth the price of admission. 

Here’s a look at all the information you’ll need to catch the fight on pay-per-view as well as a preview of the bout. 

Date: August 26, 2017

Time: Main Card starts at 9 p.m. ET

TV: Showtime Pay-per-view

Live Stream: Showtime Pay-per-view 

McGregor Wins If…

Mayweather has truly taken a step back at 40 years old and isn’t prepared for McGregor’s volume. One thing McGregor usually delivers on is his promise to be aggressive and come forward. In the world of MMA, the Notorious is a great pressure fighter. 

That’s something that will likely translate to boxing, and McGregor made mention of it in his post-weigh-in interview, per Alexander K. Lee of MMA Fighting. 

“You know that, he looks blown out. Full of water. He’s not gonna keep my pace,” McGregor said. “Trust me on that. That’s the worst shape I’ve ever seen him.”

Combinations have always been the key to combating counterpunchers. Mayweather is one of the best counterpunchers of all time, so McGregor will need to overload Money’s defense with volume. 

Another place where McGregor will need to challenge Mayweather is in the clinch. It’s is one of the few places that should have some direct correlation. While McGregor’s clinch work isn’t a specialty in his cage fighting, it does represent a place where Mayweather will be more easily hit—especially off the breaks. 

If McGregor is able to flood Mayweather with volume, cut off the ring and utilize the clinch to land punches, he can win this fight. 

Mayweather Wins If… 

He can get McGregor swiping at air. Mayweather is one of the best defensive fighters in the history of boxing, and frustration is his game. 

He’s as slick as they come in the defense, and it sets up some excellent counters. Hybrid Shoot showcased an example of what his elusiveness can do to a fighter:

Money has spent his time on the promotion trail promising things are going to be different this time. In the latter half of his career, defense has been the name of the game for him, but he says this time is going to be different. 

“I say I guarantee it won’t go the distance. He says it’s not going the distance,” he said, per Dan Rafael of ESPN. “I say it’s not going the distance. So it’s obvious we going to come out from the opening bell and drop bombs.”

After his fight against Manny Pacquiao was a dud, it should comes as no surprise. If that’s actually a forecast for how he’ll fight McGregor, it will be shocking. 

Instead, expect Mayweather to take the easiest path to his retirement money. He’ll look for opportunities to counter, play defense and lead only when he feels he can get to McGregor. 

Anything else would be to play into the Irish brawler’s hands. 

Prediction

The atmosphere will be electric when this fight kicks off. There are just a lot of unknowns as this fight is really the first of its kind in many ways. 

After that initial start, fans might be in for another disappointment. 

McGregor could bring the fight to Mayweather and make it the early going interesting. Once Mayweather gets settled in, though, we could be in for his usual deliberate point-fighting. 

To the avid boxing fan, it’s a beautiful class in the sweet science. To those who want to see more action, it’s a night of frustration. 

The initial clash between the two fighters will be interesting. If McGregor has a hope of ending Mayweather’s night, it will be in the first few rounds. However, if Mayweather starts to get his reads and timing, it’s going to be a long night for McGregor and viewers. 

Mayweather by unanimous decision

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