Almost no one expects the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor bout to be competitive, but everyone knows the appeal of the fight is the spectacle and novelty.
The uniqueness of the event and the star level of the competitors will make for some memorable images and moments. Like it or not, we’ll remember this event and the following 10 things could stick out in our minds the most.
Here ‘s the list of things we can’t wait to see during and after the Money Fight.
Most fights with major names bring out a healthy number of celebrities. I don’t have a seating chart or A-list, but I’d expect to see Charles Barkley, Rosie Perez, Magic Johnson, Dave Chappelle and more of the usual suspects.
Expect to see shots of the crowd for as long as the fight lasts.
The Walkouts
Traditionally, combat sports walkouts in the United States aren’t as grandiose as they are in Japan or in the United Kingdom, but this fight could be the exception. Even if it goes according to script, McGregor’s slow walk out to “Foggy Dew” and “I Get Money” medley will still be epic.
The Staredown
NEW YORK, NY – JULY 13: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor face-off during the Floyd Mayweather Jr. v Conor McGregor World Press Tour event at Barclays Center on July 13, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
The staredowns from the international tour got pretty boring after the first two, but the one that takes place in the center of the ring on Saturday night will be chilling. The two men will be set to throw hands instead of verbal jabs. It’ll be interesting to see each man’s demeanor mere seconds before the real fight begins.
McGregor’s Stance
LAS VEGAS, NV – AUGUST 11: UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor hits a heavy bag during a media workout at the UFC Performance Institute on August 11, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. McGregor will fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a boxing match at T-Mobile Arena on August 26 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
We’ve seen boxers clowning McGregor’s fight preparation and warm up drills.
We’ve even seen some rather rudimentary footwork and bag work from the UFC lightweight champion, but we haven’t seen his in-action boxing stance. I’m interested to see if he stands with his legs too far apart, or if he changes anything about the way he approaches his fights in the UFC.
The First Punch McGregor Throws
We’ve seen Floyd throw thousands of punches over the years. We’ve seen McGregor throw his share of rights and lefts in the UFC, but not one in a real professional boxing match. Though the glove size has been reduced to eight ounces, one still has to wonder how fast his hands will look in mitts that are bigger than what he fights in with the UFC.
The First Punch McGregor Lands
Some wonder if McGregor will be able to land any shots on Mayweather. Others think that one clean blow from McGregor will put Mayweather in trouble. Both are probably exaggerations. At some point, McGregor will land a punch. It may not be a clean, flush shot on Mayweather’s chin, but he’ll land.
Once McGregor finds out how difficult it is to hit and hurt Mayweather, he may realize how deeply he’s in over his head.
Mayweather’s Form
Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. pummels the speed bag during a media workout at the Mayweather Boxing Club August 10, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mayweather is preparing to face MMA fighter Connor Mcgregor on August 26th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in what could be one of the richest fights in history. / AFP PHOTO / John Gurzinski (Photo credit should read JOHN GURZINSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
Money has said this will be his final fight. The 40-year-old hasn’t fought in two years, so there’s a possibility he could have some ring rust. I believe Mayweather’s 80 percent is good enough to beat McGregor, but I’ll be watching to see how well he moves and how sharp his reflexes are at the end of his career.
Paulie Malignaggi’s Color Commentary
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 10: Boxer Paulie Malignaggi blows a bubble with his bubblegum during the Anthony Joshua & Dillian Whyte Head-to-Head Press Conference at the Four Seasons Hotel on December 10, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Harry Engels/Getty Images)
Without question, Malignaggi and Andre Ward are the two best fighters/color commentators in the sport of boxing. They offer insight that only a former or active fighter can, and they do it with excellent articulation and organized thoughts.
That’s reason enough to listen to Malignaggi work the MayMac fight, but his disdain for McGregor will force The Magic Man to lean on his professionalism. He’s done it before. Despite being fresh off a war of words and losing his welterweight title to Adrien Broner, Malignaggi showed no bias when he worked The Problem’s unanimous-decision loss to Marcos Rene Maidana six months later.
With Malignaggi potentially positioning himself for a payday against McGregor, we’ll be listening to hear a few jabs during the Showtime pay-per-view broadcast.
Twitter Reactions
MayMac is going to take over Twitter for most of the evening on Saturday and a good portion of Sunday and Monday. During the fight, every casual and semi-casual boxing fan who is connected on Twitter will be spewing hot takes after each round.
Most of it will be useless, but entertaining nonetheless. I guess that’s appropriate because that’s probably a good description of the fight.
The Post-Fight Interviews
No matter who wins, the post-fight interviews should be interesting. If Mayweather wins, his last words in a ring as a fighter shouldn’t be missed. There could be tears, a hug with his dad, and he may even leave his gloves in the ring.
In any case, it will be a significant scene.
McGregor’s explanation for his loss should be entertaining, and we’ll all be hoping to hear about his UFC plans. With the Jon Jones issue, the organization needs him more than ever.
If Mayweather somehow loses, we’ll see him in a way we never have before. Mayweather has never conducted an interview after a loss. How would he even handle such a situation?
If McGregor wins, get ready for the rant of the century. He will instantly become the biggest superstar in combat sports, and the undisputed A-side in any negotiation. Unfortunately for him, that’s not going to happen, but it’s fun for him and his fans to ponder.
