On Aug. 26, UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor is going to step into a ring to meet one of the greatest boxers of a generation without having ever had a professional boxing match.
The payoff is certainly huge. Apart from the hefty payday, which could potentially reach the $100 million mark, McGregor has already catapulted his name to new heights just by making this seemingly impossible matchup happen at all. But considering he’s not only changing sports, but facing an exceptionally skilled opponent in the process, there are also a few risks associated with the move.
They range from public humiliation to actual bodily harm.
On the opposite corner of the ring, however, is Floyd Mayweather. And, though he may be the one theoretically in his comfort zone, he’s the one expected to win. He’s the one who built a name for himself in the sport in which they are competing.
And while he sees big rewards for both, Mayweather believes there’s one of them who has the most on the line with “The Money Fight.”
“I’m taking the bigger risk,” Mayweather said during a conference call ahead of the clash, which airs live on pay-per-view from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “I have the 49-0 record. And when a fighter has lost before, if he loses again, it’s nothing. He lost before. But when a fighter has been dominating for 20-something years, never lost, everything is on the line.
“My legacy. My boxing record. Everything is on the line.”
Mayweather (49-0 boxing) is right: McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) has taken losses in his professional MMA career. The most recent one, a later-avenged UFC 196 second-round submission to Nate Diaz, has in fact been used as provocation fuel by Mayweather, himself, throughout the fight-promoting process.
But the recently un-retired Mayweather, who is adamant that this will be indeed his last fight, could be looking at one sour note to end his accomplished career. Not only that, he’ll have missed the chance to break the record that’s currently tied with Rocky Marciano – who retired with a 49-0 pro record.
Mayweather is clearly aware of the damage that a loss could cause. Which is not to say that he’s spending too much energy on the idea.
“That’s not really my focus,” Mayweather said. “Every day, I tell myself I’m a winner. I was born to be a winner at life – not just in the ring, but I was born to be a winner – so whatever I do, I try to give it a 100 percent, and I try to push myself to the limit.
“Like (Showtime Sports exec) Stephen (Espinoza) said – it’s all about taking risks. And I wouldn’t be where I’m at, if I didn’t take risks. So I don’t mind putting my 49-0 on the line. I don’t mind putting everything on the line for this fight. I feel like it’s worth it.”
If McGregor does manage to pull off the upset, though, it’s not like Mayweather is going to walk away empty-handed. Other than the obvious – a lot of money, that is – the boxing legend has already cemented his name his place in the very history of a sport.
Or is it two sports?
“I made a crazy name in the sport of boxing,” Mayweather said. “It’s crazy that – I’ve been working so hard throughout the years that I even have a big name in MMA also. Even though I never competed in MMA, I’m still a big name in MMA.”
For more on “The Money Fight: Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor,” check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
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