Who: Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor
What: Perhaps the most lucrative boxing match in history
When: Aug. 26
What Time: The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET.
Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The fight will be broadcast by Showtime PPV. The cost for the SD broadcast is $89.95. HD will set you back $99.95.
If you are planning on heading to Vegas for the event and don’t want to pay full ticket price, the below MGM properties are hosting closed circuit viewing parties for the fight.
Bellagio – Grand Ballroom
MGM Grand – Marquee Ballroom, Tap Sports Bar
Mandalay Bay – Mandalay Bay Theatre, Light Nightclub
The Mirage – Love Theatre, Mirage Grand Ballroom
Monte Carlo – Park Theater, Diablo’s Cantina, Double Barrel
New York-New York – Zumanity Theater, Nine Fine Irishmen
Luxor – Criss Angel Theater
Excalibur – Tournament of Kings Arena
Circus Circus – Garden Grill Ballroom
Big Bets: South Point Casino recently took a bet for $880,000 on Mayweather. With the -550 odds on Mayweather, if the bettor wins, they will turn a profit of $160,000. According to ESPN, three $50,000 bets were placed on McGregor. One of those best was at +475 and two were at +425. If McGregor wins, the bettor will clear $625,000.
Whoa! The money is starting to come in on @FloydMayweather at the @southpointlv. Biggest bet in Vegas yet? @VSiNLive pic.twitter.com/Kw4VGDOQPe
— Mitch Moss (@MitchMossRadio) August 11, 2017
Numbers to beat: If this fight is going to break records it has some lofty numbers to hit. The record for pay-per-view sales was hit by the 2015 Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight. That fight sold 4.5 million pay-per-views. As for ticket sales, the record, also held by the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight, is $72 million.
Tale of the Tape:
Mayweather McGregor
40 | Age | 29 |
5’8″ | Height | 5’9″ |
72″ | Reach | 74″ |
49-0 | Record | 21-3 |
26 | Knockouts | 18 |
Orthodox | Stance | Southpaw |
McGregor’s path to victory: The thing with McGregor is that everything he will do in the boxing ring will be kind of a surprise since he has never fought in a professional boxing match. That unpredictability won’t be a factor for long. Mayweather has always had the ability to adjust to top boxers in the ring; he won’t struggle to do the same against a neophyte. McGregor doesn’t have great defense, nor does he have fantastic speed. He does have power in his left hand, and frankly, that’s the only way he wins, catching Mayweather with a big left. The problem with that is Mayweather has only been rocked a few times in his career and has only officially been knocked down once. As for McGregor’s gas tank, it’s questionable at best. He tends to throw everything full force, and that saps his cardio early.
Mayweather’s path to victory: Mayweather is the best defensive boxer of his generation, slipping and blocking punches seemingly at will. According to CompuBox his opponents connect on less than 20 percent of their attempted punches, one of the lowest percentages among active boxers. As far as his offense, Mayweather is not a power puncher, but his accuracy and ability to land in the same spot over and over again break fighters down over time. Speaking of time, Mayweather has gone the 12 round distance in each of his last seven fights dating back to May 2012. His cardio is never a question. As for speed, even at the age of 40, Mayweather will have a speed advantage over McGregor.
Prediction: Mayweather by late knockout.