Cosmin Minea – In a world where fantasy movies are the most popular, and where the president of America is a proven fact-maker or fact-shaper or as some might call him, even an outright liar, the world of sports has also boarded the fantasy train.
The fight between the multiple boxing champion Floyd Mayweather and the mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor has been the richest, heaviest promoted sporting event in history but also a fantasy or if you prefer, an outright lie.
Those people in charge with tallying up the numbers are edging closer to a final, official number as far as how many buys the August 26 “Money Fight” between Floyd Mayweather Junior and Conor McGregor managed to pull in.
Earlier this week, Dana White stated how the fight had managed a staggering 6.5 million – worldwide – and now, Showtime’s Stephen Espinoza says that while it’s still too early to say for sure that Mayweather-McGregor knocked Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao off the top spot (4.6 million buys in May of 2015), “the record is definitely within reach.”
The grand arrivals took place yesterday evening in a buzzing Las Vegas, with Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor given the red carpet treatment. Though Saturday’s crossover fight has been, and is being, derided by many, the fans in attendance are excited about it.
Down to curiosity it may be (fans are wholly unsure of what to expect when the bell rings) but millions of people are expected to tune in – one report says that as many as an incredible 1 in Six Americans could wind up watching the bout on TV. Mayweather, though, says he has doubts McGregor has trained as hard as he should have for the contest; at least Mayweather strongly suspects the MMA star is currently carrying a good deal of excess weight – perhaps as much as ten-pounds more than the 154 pound weight limit allows.
Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor official kicked off fight week events Tuesday with grand arrivals at the Toshiba Plaza ahead of the SHOWTIME PPV event this Saturday, Aug. 26 taking place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
(Esther Lin/SHOWTIME)
Also making an official grand arrival in Las Vegas was unbeaten Francisco Fonseca, who challenges 130-pound champion Gervonta Davis, plus light heavyweight titleholder Nathan Cleverly and former 168-pound champion Badou Jack, who meet in a 12-round title fight on the PPV undercard. The SHOWTIME PPV telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with unbeaten Andrew Tabiti and former world champion Steve Cunningham meeting in a 10-round battle after making their grand arrivals Tuesday.
Complimentary tickets for the official Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor weigh-in will be available for fight fans ahead of the blockbuster clash taking place Saturday, Aug. 26 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Ticket holders for the live event and closed circuit viewings will have the first chance to acquire weigh-in tickets on Monday, Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. PT – 10 p.m. PT, with a limit of four (4) per person. Transactions will be mobile (paperless) entry only.
As the days and weeks go by, the list of boxing’s “cowards” gets longer and longer. In more recent years the lists continues to extend and includes grounded champions and potential Hall Of Fame fighters. It seems as though every time a fan friendly fight isn’t ‘signed & sealed’ the blame and allegations of ‘cowardice’ befalls on the MAN that has spent YEARS risking his health & life every time he steps into a ring.
The names of Floyd Mayweather, Andre Ward, Miguel Cotto, Adonis Stevenson, Danny Garcia, Leo Santa Cruz and even Carl Froch have been labeled and deemed “cowards” with little regard of their ring accomplishments. And of course, add to the list Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and his promoter, Oscar de la Hoya.
Conor McGregor is either doing a great job of selling his “super-fight” with Floyd Mayweather, or he genuinely believes he is going to win if and when the two titans clash later this year – maybe it’s a bit of both.
For last night in New York, after he had walked fellow Irishman Michael Conlan to the ring for the 2016 Olympian’s pro debut in Madison Square Garden, McGregor let loose with a torrent of confidence/arrogance/bombast. Speaking with reporters at ringside, the MMA star said that he is “The boxing guy,” and that, “No-one in this boxing game knows what’s coming.”
Though superstar Manny Pacquiao has not yet fully or officially endorsed his return to the ring, stating how his senatorial duties will always come first, his promoter Bob Arum is certain Pac-Man’s retirement, which came just three months ago, will end on either October 29 or November 5 in Las Vegas. It has been widely covered by many outlets how the 37-year-old great is expected back on one of these date and all that remains to be worked out (aside from just which Vegas venue will host the fight) is who will be the man in the opposite corner of the ring.
Arum spoke to The Mail and he said that one fighter, who was once a possibility, has now been well and truly crossed off the list: Adrien Broner. According to Arum, Broner has a problem understanding the economics of his sport, asking for as much as, or more than, Pacquiao will get paid. “He’s crazy,” Arum said. So who might it be in October or November?
Floyd Mayweather Junior’s trophy cabinet just got a little fuller; or it will in the spring when he will be presented, for a third time, with the Boxing Writers Association of America’s prestigious Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter of the Year award. Dan Rafael of ESPN.com reports how Mayweather won the award for 2015 on the ballots released on Friday.
Retired superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior is currently in the UK, embarking on a special (and very expensive to attend) “Victory Tour” where the man known as “Money” will meet and greet his UK fans. And, whilst here, the soon-to-be 39-year-old great spoke with BBC Sport.
Mayweather began by revealing how he has been offered “crazy numbers – nine figures” to fight again. Floyd said the offers have been coming in from a number of different countries around the world. But as of right now, Mayweather is “completely out” of boxing and has no plans to box again.