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Money vs. notoriety: What is this fight all about?

The impenetrable defense or the unstoppable force — when all is said and done, which one will reign victorious?

Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr., who has never lost a fight as a professional boxer, has perfected his “shoulder roll” defensive strategy to the point that he leaves each fight nearly untouched.

Or will the winner be, Conor “The Notorious” McGregor, who has sparked fear in his opponents with his crushing left-hand?

This is a bout between two of the biggest names in professional fighting, and the matchup is being promoted by both sides. The two have completed a world tour of press conferences to bring light and excitement to the event.

7-1 McGregor-Mayweather (source)--7.JPG
(Wikimedia)

The world tour included stops in Los Angeles, California, then Toronto, Canada, followed by Brooklyn, New York. The tour’s final stop was in London, England, on July 14.

What is perhaps the biggest draw to this fight is the pair’s difference in fighting styles. Mayweather is a lifelong boxer, while McGregor is a mixed martial arts fighter. While there are similarities between both of their fighting styles, they are not always thought to be similar.

LJ Schulz, local professional mixed martial artist and recent retiree, said, “The strategy in boxing is a lot different than MMA. MMA allows for more options throughout the more martial arts you’re trained in. Boxing is limited to just punching, footwork, head movement and timing.”

This upcoming fight has received backlash in the media and around the world of professional fighting, as it is seen as more of a publicity stunt rather than an actual fight.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr., right, goes 12 rounds with Andre Berto on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Periscope responded to more than 140 takedown notices that weekend, most of which were about the fight. (Gene Blevins/Zuma Press/TNS)

Many experts believe professional boxers, who spend their entire lives training in boxing, cannot beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a fight. Therefore, they don’t feel that a mixed martial artist, such as Conor McGregor, will have a chance.

Regarded as one of the Wasatch Front’s most notable and successful fighters in recent years, Dave Foley had this to say regarding his prediction of the fight:

“Here are the reasons I believe Floyd Mayweather will win: Arturo Gatti, Juan Manwell Marquez, Ricky Hattin, Shane Mosley, Miguel Coto, Oscar De La Hoya, Andre Berto, Canelo Alvarez, Manny Pacquiao. Come on now,” Foley said. “These guys were all boxing world champions. People think McGregor has a great straight left. Is it better than a Manny Pacquiao straight left? No way!”

Foley also alluded to the fact that this is not the first fight of its kind. Muhammad Ali fought against professional wrestlers in the past. It was frowned upon then, as it is frowned upon now.

This is not a slight to McGregor, as he has enjoyed a dominant career of his own, holding a 21–3 professional fighting record, with 18 of those wins coming by knockout.

7-1 McGregor-Mayweather (source)--6.JPG
(Wikimedia)

McGregor is seen as the perfect opponent for Mayweather, as he has enough moxie and confidence to get inside the head of one of boxing’s greatest. After all, McGregor prides himself on the belief that if we believe in something hard enough, it will eventually be.

Even still, the question remains: Does Conor McGregor deserve to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr.?

“McGregor didn’t pay any dues to earn this fight. Vasyl Lomachenko had 398 amateur fights and was a two-time gold medalist. The governing bodies wouldn’t let him fight for a title until he had a least one professional fight, and yet McGregor gets a shot at Mayweather?” Foley said.

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FLoyd Mayweather Jr. celebrates victory by uninimous decision against Manny Pacquaio in Las Vegas on May 2, 2015. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Despite the fight having worldwide attention, Ogden has its own connection to the heavyweight bout. Schulz had actually already fought one of Mayweather’s teammates in a similar context.

He accepted a fight with Donovan Cameron on three days’ notice and, like this upcoming fight, Schulz was accustomed to mostly MMA fighting, while Cameron was a boxer. In what might be seen as a foreshadowing of things to come, Schulz did trade shots back and forth with Cameron, but he eventually lost by way of a technical knockout in the second round.

Perhaps the most important issue at hand for McGregor is whether or not he will go back to fighting within the UFC after this fight, knowing that even with a loss, he is expected to make over $100 million.

Come Aug. 26, all of the talk and pre-fight hype will go out the window as these two legends meet once and for all in the ring.

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