Here’s why Mayweather could have the last laugh
Is it a spectacle, the biggest show in history, the ultimate unifying bout or just a circus?
As things edge closer to the bell in Las Vegas, we are still finding it hard to define the ‘Fight of the Millennium’ and its significance for pro boxing as well as mixed martial arts (MMA).
Mayweather, on more than one occasion, has said he doesn’t understand any other number other than money, staying true to his nickname, “Money”. While McGregor seems to be on a mission to prove he is the best fighter in history — the huge paycheck is a priority for the Irishman too.
Come Saturday night (Sunday morning in India), two of the best fighters the world has seen will try to punch the hell out of each other. A fight is surely on, but the question is, will the fight itself do justice to the mega billing.
This writer was present at the arena in Stockholm when McGregor made his UFC debut in 2013, and has closely followed his climb into superstardom. And, over the years, it was a pleasure enjoying Mayweather’s ring craft, even as boxing was increasingly becoming a hide-and-seek game where stars avoid stars.
And, going by what one has seen of both the fighters, there is no way McGregor could pose a challenge to a dancing Mayweather. Of course, Mayweather has to dance first, and at 40, his fitness is indeed a suspect.
Calling a bout has its risks as fights can be unpredictable. However, this fight seems like an easy bet and could follow the script in which McGregor, known for his aggressive approach inside the UFC Octagon, would go on the offensive, trying to unsettle Mayweather’s defense.
But, there is a catch. Even the best in boxing business — the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya and many others — have had trouble landing a punch on Mayweather. And we are talking about a multiple-division world champion, Pacquiao, and an Olympic and world champ, De La Hoya.
So what could McGregor, an amateur boxer who is prone to getting hit himself, do while facing the famed shoulder roll, the counters including the side-stepping leaning right, and the slap hooks that Mayweather employs. The American does that with so much ease that one gets the impression he is dancing around the opponent, fading or ducking away from punches before moving in to sting.
Then there is the ring dynamics — the boxing square is much smaller, and as fighters sometimes say, a suffocating place, compared to the Octagon in the UFC. MMA fighters are not used to close proximity exchange of blows as they maintain distance to counter kicks and takedowns.
Boxers, on the other hand, thrive at close quarters. Mayweather is a master in fighting on the inside, employing forearms crunches, wily pushes and grabs, before delivering hooks and upper cuts while almost breathing down the opponent’s face.
McGregor’s boxing skills are the best in the UFC, no doubt. But it can never match the ring craft developed during a career of over two decades and a 49-0 run.
The super fight, in all its glory, looks set to be a lopsided encounter and McGregor could end up getting a lesson in real boxing.