For months, one story has continually been on the minds of MMA and boxing enthusiasts—Conor McGregor versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fight fans are so in enamored by this match-up, they are close to taking this relationship to the “Netflix and chill” stage. However, this fight is going to be more cold shower, than a late night you will never forget.
Let us get this out of the way early: this fight is never going to happen. Sorry to play the role of “Debbie Downer” here folks, but it’s the truth.
Fans love to try and read the digital tea leaves, looking for some inkling of proof that this fight will actually happen. So they continue to scrounge through Twitter and Instagram feeds searching for the latest rants (from two men that have turned hyperbole into a way of life), but continue to overlook the obvious evidence proving why this is all worthless foreplay.
McGregor versus Mayweather will never happen
When it comes to making a fight of this caliber happen, many factors need to come together. We have seen throughout the history of both MMA and boxing, the bigger the names involved the harder it is to get these elements to coalesce. Just search those articles that touted the possibilities of seeing Riddick Bowe versus Lennox Lewis, Anderson Silva versus George St. Pierre, and Randy Couture versus Fedor Emelianenko. Heck, even Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao was four years after its best buy date.
I bring up Couture and “The Last Emperor” specifically because the same reason that negated that fight from ever happening, is the same pink elephant in the negotiating room of this bout—contracts.
Despite Mayweather’s recent bellows that McGregor should “sign the paper,” that won’t be happening. Because the knockout artist from Dublin already has a paper he signed with the Las Vegas based promotion. And the UFC does not let their stars out of iron-clad deals so they can go make money elsewhere without them. Couture learned the hard way, unless you have legitimate legal precedence to break a contract, the UFC’s lawyers won’t lose. He didn’t have that precedent, and neither does McGregor.
Despite Mayweather’s recent bellows that McGregor should “sign the paper,” that won’t be happening.
What makes it all the more funny, is that “Money” has his own promotional company and knows all about contracts. He is fully aware McGregor will not get permission from mom and dad to go play in the land of boxing.
The obvious next step would be for Mayweather to come to an agreement with the UFC. To fight a boxing match under their banner. Surprisingly, UFC President Dana White actually extended an invitation to the pugilist in January. Offering the undefeated fighter $25 million to make this whole thing happen.
To the shock of no one, Mayweather laughed off this offer. Aside from the fact that he allegedly made $150 million for one nights work against Pacquiao in 2015, his poorly received retirement bout against Andre Berto banked the legend $32 million. Twenty-five from the UFC is not going to cut it.
To the shock of no one, Mayweather laughed off this offer.
But you are also probably thinking about White’s recent appearance on The Conan O’Brien Show. Where he said he thinks the fight is probably “going to happen.” Well if you haven’t been following DW–as Kimbo Slice once dubbed him–he says a lot of things.
For example, the aforementioned Slice worked for White despite his one-time employer saying he would always be “the toughest guy at a bbq.” He also once told a TMZ reporter women would never fight in the UFC. Not to mention the company president has called a plethora of fighters over the years the best in the world, but that usually coincided with him being on good terms with them. So yea, DW says a lot of things.
He also once told a TMZ reporter women would never fight in the UFC.
Another key element of all of this is both Mayweather and McGregor never turn down an opportunity to self promote. Even when they do not have scheduled bouts. McGregor regularly posts to his tens of millions of fans on social media. And Mayweather does the same, while keeping his name regularly in the spotlight despite being retired for over a year.
The debate over who would win this hypothetical boxing match has gone around fight-news cycles for months. In the end it really doesn’t matter who would win (though I think McGregor would be in for a long night if it ever happend). Because the grassroots promotion via social media, talk shows, and websites is all just a dog-and-pony show put on by two publicity maestros. Don’t worry your heads anymore about if fight-fans, don’t read the latest stories and tweets about the biggest what if in combat sports today. It is not going to happen.
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