Gary Seymour, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
A sputtering economy is never a stumbling block for the bread-and-circus industry when the pageant is suitably hyped and bloodshed is on the menu.
Roman gladiators hacked one another to pieces in front of standing-room-only crowds. Boxing, wrestling and pankration were big-ticket items at the Ancient Olympic Games, and throughout the Middle Ages folks gathered en masse to watch their favorite jouster shish-kebab his foe.
In line with the rich tradition of pummeling one another, the dotted lines were signed last week in what promoters are calling the biggest sports event of the year.
Undefeated boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., who won belts in four different weight classes, inked a deal to fight mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor on Aug. 26 in Las Vegas.
It will be the first bout in almost two years for Mayweather, a deft counterpuncher who has been called the best pound-for-pound boxer over the past 25 years. For McGregor, the reigning belt-holder in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, it will be the first pugilistic venture since he was a teenager in Crumlin, Ireland.
The unlikely matchup of stars from two different sports lends a curious air to the showdown, though it’s not the first time for a hybrid event like this. Muhammad Ali once fought Japanese wrestling champion Antonio Inoki in a heavily promoted clash – that panned out as a monumental dud. The bout was “fought” under specially created rules, where Ali wore boxing gloves, Inoki did not, and the wrestler wasn’t allowed to wrestle but could kick Ali as long as he kept one knee on the canvas.
An estimated 1.4 billion people paid to watch the closed-circuit broadcast, which was about as exciting as a traffic jam. Ali threw a total of six punches over 15 rounds, and Inoki spent 98 percent of the time on his back, flailing his legs like a sand crab. The fight was scored a draw.
There are no goofy rules for the Mayweather-McGregor bout, just a regular boxing match. Try to not get your hopes up for a memorable brawl.
Statistically, McGregor is younger (28 to 40) and has a longer reach (74 inches to 72). He also has a larger, less crushable head, and has what are known in fight circles as heavy hands, i.e. knockout power. McGregor could put Mayweather to sleep if he landed a haymaker. Mayweather probably could not knock out McGregor in that manner.
However, Mayweather is an unparalleled defensive boxer who didn’t get to 49-0 by accident. Much better boxers than McGregor have tried to put away Mayweather, but ended up swatting the air.
In a street fight, the strong and agile McGregor would kick Mayweather around like a soccer ball. But this is boxing, not MMA. McGregor – also a counterpuncher, which guarantees a lot of non-action – will be like a break-dancer in a waltz contest. Unless he runs out of gas and gets TKO’d, he will lose by decision in a snooze-fest.
And both fighters will add to their mountain of lucre. Terms have not been set, but Mayweather, whose net worth is around $400 million, is expected to receive at least $50 million for the night’s work. McGregor will also get well, possibly matching or exceeding his existing pile of $34 million.
The monster payday for both fighters was conceived through McGregor’s enchanting jibber-jabber. Not since Ali has such high-caliber goading been done by one who can cash the checks written by his yapper. Arrogant but affable, McGregor is far and away the leading money-winner in MMA, due to both his skill in the octagon and his marketing savvy. He’s convinced enough of the right people that he has a chance to win this mismatch.
Strange things can happen in boxing. Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson, Ali stopped George Foreman and Sugar Ray Leonard beat Marvin Hagler.
But the only upset likely to occur on Aug. 26 will be the feelings of those who dropped a hundred or so on a clunker.