Professional fighting, whether it be boxing, mixed-martial-arts or wrestling, has grown in popularity over the past decade after a drought of interest in the ’90s. And it seems this time, arguably the best of each circuit of MMA and boxing have both displayed interest in fighting one another to prove who is truly the best fighter in the world.
Floyd Mayweather, a great boxer and the most prolific and energizing businessman in sports entertainment, showed his eagerness to come out of retirement and fight McGregor after hearing comparisons of the two from colleagues in New York. Mayweather retired in 2015, leaving the sport with an undefeated record of 49 wins and zero losses, but has expressed his willingness to come out of retirement to seek his fiftieth win against one of Ireland’s best fighters.
Connor McGregor, an Irishman who’s known for his veracious fists and words, is the cornerstone and foster child of Mixed-Martial-Arts fighting today. Both are unmatched in their ferocity except perhaps by their egos. Perhaps what McGregor is most famous for is his pre-fight predictions and trash talk as a form of “psychological warfare” against his opponents. This aspect of McGregor’s personality led a lot of fans and commentators to draw parallels to boxing greats such as Muhammed Ali and Mike Tyson.
Most televised fights are filmed on pay-per-view outlets and bring in lots of revenue, leaving large sums of money for the competitors if there is enough interest in a fight. Both fighters have laid out demands and feel they both should receive upwards of $100 million for their performance, a hefty sum even at their caliber. Regardless, it’s still a fight that’s not even a sure bet to come to fruition; the world can expect a heavy fight on Twitter and Instagram for the ensuing months, gathering attention and hype for the upcoming brawl.
by Brandon Hussey
