Mayweather vs. McGregor Predictions: Is Anyone Rolling With Conor?
The wait (and drawn-out buildup) is finally over and tonight’s (Sat., August 26, 2017) massive Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor boxing match is nearly here from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
It’s obviously a bout that has elicited both widespread scorn and praise from the combat sports world, as boxing purists have blasted the fight for its legitimacy, but one thing will most likely prove true when it’s all said and done: it most certainly may be the biggest fight in combat sports history, especially in terms of overall media hype and attention.
The questions debating whether or not McGregor should be fighting an undefeated boxing legend like Mayweather without a single pro boxing match on his record are real, however, so it’s on ‘The Notorious’ to prove he can hang with Mayweather and accomplish the elusive goal that 49 pro boxers set out to achieve and failed.
Do we think he can surpass those seemingly insurmountable odds? Find out in our predictions right here.
Mike Drahota:
There are a million things that could be said about this fight but have already been said, so I’ll spare you too many particulars right now. But I won’t mince words, either – overall I think this fight is a circus, a view that was never more evident than at last month’s laughable world tour. The fight will clearly bring in tons of revenue for both sides, and overall is a huge boon to the sport of mixed martial arts, which needed just that; at least in the short term. I fear for the future of the UFC and their new ownership if McGregor somehow wins the bout, however, because while they may experience a huge boost in popularity in the short-term, it’s going to be next to impossible to keep “The Notorious” fighting in the octagon on a regular basis without sharing a percentage of ownership (or something similar) with him.
In terms of the actual in-ring action, obviously this is a fight that couldn’t be much more mismatched on paper. Mayweather is very possibly the greatest defensive boxer of all time, and some feel he’s the best boxer of all time period. While I disagree, McGregor is climbing a truly treacherous mountain here. While he appears the bigger, stronger fighter, Mayweather’s speed and vast experience edge clearly put him at a big disadvantage here. True, McGregor has knocked out nearly everyone he’s faced in the UFC, but he’s in a new world now. The two things he does have going for him are Mayweather’s age and the fact that he hasn’t fought for going on two years. Time catches up to every fighter, and while it may not have caught ‘Money’ just yet, we just don’t know when that light switch turns off.
I don’t think it has quite yet, and while McGregor will show more boxing prowess than the purists who have written him off think he will, I also think he’ll get a bit frustrated chasing Mayweather around if he can’t land that big shot in the first four rounds. Anything can happen in a fight, but if ‘Money’ settles in and plays his evasive game, we could unfortunately witness another snoozer thanks to Mayweather. Floyd wins a 12-round decision.
Mike Henken:
Unlike many people, I am not completely counting McGregor out. This is a fight, and in my opinion, anything can happen when two fighters strap up the gloves. McGregor is the larger, longer and younger fighter, and he may very well just have the power advantage as well. If he can land cleanly on Mayweather, “Money” could find himself in trouble. Obviously, that is no easy task, and I won’t be surprised to see this fight play out as many of Mayweather’s previous ones have. He’s too strong defensively in addition to being experienced and incredibly accurate and technical. I’ll take Mayweather by decision.
Jonny Fuentes:
Nothing about this fight makes sense. Conor McGregor, a renowned knockout artist in the sport of MMA, will take on, arguably, the greatest boxer of all time with no professional boxing experience. Mayweather is undefeated in boxing competition and has downed 49 men consecutively inside the ring, with most of those being some of the most talented the sport has ever seen. With that being said, I’m rolling with “The Notorious One.” “Mystic Mac” has proven time and time again that he is able to defy all odds and shock the world – and tonight will be no different. McGregor R1 KO.