In the world of boxing, fans rarely get the matchup they want at the time they want. When the public latches onto two fighters they want to see go toe to toe in the ring, it is usually followed by months, sometime years of posturing. And, if and when the fight actually does happen, the two fighters end up being past their respective primes, which in turn waters down the entertainment value of the fight (see Mayweather vs Pacquiao). But this time around, it looks like the public is finally getting a fight that has been talked about for some time now, at what appears to be the perfect time.
It feels like we have been talking about a potential boxing match between undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs) and MMA superstar Conor McGregor (21-3) forever. The two have thrown jabs through the media for nearly two years, hinting at a potential superfight as early as July 2015. But now, after a bevy of false alarms, Mayweather and McGregor have agreed to terms on what will undoubtedly be one of the highest-grossing fights in history. The two will fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on August 26 in a 12-round boxing match at 154 pounds.
While the venue and parameters of the fight have been finalized, some details are still to be ironed out. For example, the cost of the pay-per-view, ticket prices, what broadcast team will be used, and the kind of media tours the fighters will go on have yet to be determined, but will reportedly be figured out in the next two weeks.
While many would have likely expected the negotiations between Mayweather and McGregor to be difficult, both UFC boss Dana White and Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe stated that the negotiations went extremely smoothly.
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"It's been one of the smoothest deals we've ever done," said White in a conference call with Ellerbe and Stephen Espinoza, the head of Showtime Sports; the company that will distribute and produce the super fight.
Espinoza echoed White's thoughts, "It was one of the smoothest I've ever been involved in," he said.
Ellerbe agreed with them both while on the call, "I third that. This is really gonna be a lot of fun. I can't wait to get started with this."
Financial details of the deal haven't been revealed because of a confidentiality clause in their agreement, but many assume that Mayweather is getting a majority of the revenue.
Mayweather, who is 40 years old, is currently a heavy favorite to win the fight, according to the Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas. He is currently listed at 1/11 (-1100) odds, meaning one would have to wager $11 in order to return $1. On the other hand, the 28-year-old McGregor is currently at 7/1 odds, or +700, meaning he would return $7 for ever dollar wagered on him.
