Forget legacies – it’s all about the money
CRAIG DOCHERTY is the only Scottish boxing champion to have also fought professionally in MMA.
He’ll be one of the millions paying £20 to watch Floyd Mayweather, an unbeaten world champ in five weight divisions, take on Conor McGregor, the UFC lightweight king, at 5.30am tomorrow.
The Glasgow fighter knows what it takes to succeed in both sports and respects both men but insists there can only be one winner – and it all comes down to Money.
He won the Commonwealth super-featherweight title in 2003 but packed in the sweet science to study MMA.
After a couple of bouts he returned to boxing and, at 37, now holds the WBU and WBF super-welterweight belts.
Docherty loves both sports but advises punters not to splash their cash on the AS the clock counts down to one of sport’s more extraordinary events, they were talking about legacies.
About Floyd Mayweather taking leave of the ring with a 50-0 record. About Conor McGregor striking a fatal blow to boxing’s pre-eminence in combat sports.
The fighters, the promoters, the hangers-on. They can talk all they like. When Mayweather and Irishman. He said: “Conor is brilliant at what he does but what people seem to forget is boxing is a totally different sport, with another range of techniques and disciplines he just doesn’t know.
“There’s also the fact Floyd just happens to be one of the best boxers who ever walked the face of the earth.
“I’ve heard people talking about Conor’s big left hand but he’d be as well leaving it in the house because he won’t be landing it.
“Mayweather’s been in with hard-hitting world champions Oscar de la Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez and Ricky Hatton – if they couldn’t lay a glove on him then Conor has no chance.
“He’s one of the best defensive fighters in history but he’s also the most accurate McGregor touch eight-ounce gloves in the T-Mobile Arena tomorrow morning, it is about one thing. It is all about the money.
And all the signs here are that this event will generate revenue in excess of $700million.
One television executive told me the Pay Per View income, with almost five million expected to sign up, could reach a staggering $500m. Tickets have not sold out puncher since they started using computer stats for that. This fight will last as long as Floyd wants it to last.”
Docherty also believes if the boot was on the other foot, then Mayweather would be gone in 60 seconds.
He said: “If this bout was under UFC rules Conor would win – he’d get Floyd in a choke hold and it would be over in a minute or so because Mayweather has never done any wrestling or jiu jitsu. I’d studied MMA for three years before I had my first paid fight and I also trained with the Dinky Ninja Fight Team, one of the best in Europe.
“But this is under the Marquess of Queensberry rules and Floyd will do whatever he likes. McGregor doesn’t have a snowball’s chance.
“What most people don’t realise is that boxing is an art – it’s not just about two people punching each other’s lights out. This isn’t a street fight.
“This is Conor’s first ever pro fight as a boxer and for him to be thrown in at this level makes a mockery of the sport. It shouldn’t have
been but organisers are expecting a late surge and are confident the $70m mark will be reached.
The real surprise in Las Vegas has been the scale of the betting interest. The big money has come rolling in with two bookmakers taking seven-figure wagers on Mayweather.
In total, over $60m is expected to be gambled on the outcome, a record for a boxing match. The allowed. From what I’ve seen, Conor could be a good boxer but not an exceptional one.
“I’m 38 next month and I’d eat him up and beat him up no bother. And that’s not being disrespectful to him.”
But Docherty will still be staying up all night to watch the action from Las Vegas.
He added: “I know what’s going to happen but I don’t know how it’s going to happen and that’s what intrigues me.
“McGregor will lose on the night but he’ll walk away with £60million. I’d take a sore face for a lot less. Come to think of it, I’ve been doing it for years!” purse split is confidential but most believe it to be around the 70-30 mark in favour of Mayweather, who could walk away with over $200m. The least McGregor stands to earn is $70m.
But whatever happens – and it will surely be an emphatic Mayweather win – McGregor can certainly live like a king for the rest of his life.