Floyd Mayweather comes out of retirement for a resounding shock against Conor McGregor
At 40, Floyd Mayweather is not going out of retirement, but as a good businessman he is accepted for $ 100 million to meet Conger McGregor, MMA star, in a ring.
Twenty months after his last fight, Floyd Mayweather, one of the best boxers in history, officially announced his return to the rings on Wednesday for an unprecedented and highly anticipated fight against Conor McGregor, a star of mixed martial arts ( MMA). It's Goliath's fight against ... Goliath.
On the one hand, Mayweather, the world boxing champion in five different categories, remained unbeaten throughout his professional career; On the other, McGregor, the figurehead of the MMA, a combat sport where all or almost all of the shots are allowed, very popular in the United States.
After a little more than a year of negotiations and provocations between the two camps, Mayweather and McGregor now have an appointment on August 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada for what is already presented as the fight of the year. "It's official!" Wrote Mayweather on his Instagram account, a legend of a fight poster. "The fight is taking place," confirmed on his Twitter account McGregor.
"I have long thought that this fight would be impossible to climb, but in fact it was one of the easiest negotiations of my career, because everyone wanted this fight, Mayweather and McGregor of course, but especially the fans of "Said Dana White, the head of the UFC, the main promoter of MMA fights with whom McGregor is under contract.
Volcanic Temperament
To decide which of Mayweather or McGregor is the best fighter of the moment, they will compete, at a weight set at 69.8 kg, in a boxing ring, erected in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, according to the rules Of the noble art.
McGregor: The Irishman was a boxer in his youth, but he made a name and a record in the grilled octogons of MMA, a combat sport, banned in some countries, including France. Which combines kicks, punches, ground techniques, strangulations or even elbow strokes.
McGregor, a voluptuous fighter, won 21 of his 24 fights and was the reigning UFC lightweight champion and needed only 13 seconds, a record in his discipline, to put K.-O . An opponent in December 2015.
"This kid is not afraid of anything, that's why people love him, we all know that if he touches his opponent, he can put him KO," assured his promoter. Facing him, he will find an opponent of 12 years his senior and retired since September 2015, but also a phenomenon of boxing.
$ 100 million
"Pretty Boy" has remained unbeaten in 49 fights, unbeaten record he shares with the legendary Rocky Marciano, and has ruled undivided on boxing for nearly twenty years. Mayweather is also nicknamed "Money" (money) in reference to the 800 million dollars (714 million euros) amassed during his career, thanks in particular to his miraculous contracts with American television channels at the meeting.
If he has nothing more to prove on the rings, Mayweather sees himself now "businessman" of the sport. It is to increase his already considerable fortune that he accepted this challenge, presented by some as a combat parody, worthy of wrestling. It is expected to receive a $ 100 million prize, not to mention the sharing of TV and advertising revenues that are set to be unprecedented for a boxing match.
The distribution of revenues between the two fighters, often no discord, was not specified: "Everyone is happy," White assured.
For Stephen Esponiza, General Manager of Showtime who will broadcast the fight, "there are no limits" in terms of revenue and he expects them to exceed those "fight of the century" which had in May 2015 against the Filipino Manny Pacquiao in Mayweather. "This fight speaks to people who follow boxing, who follow the MMA, to those who do not follow either of the two sports, the interest in the world will be even wider," he predicted.
Expected for a decade, the Pacquiao / Mayweather shock between two champions at the end of the race had disappointed and decided to points in favor of the American, after twelve times without flavor. With the personalities of McGregor and Mayweather, the pre-fight, at least, looks sulphurous.