On Aug. 26, Floyd Mayweather defeated Conor McGregor with a total knockout (TKO) in the 10th round
of one of the biggest fights in years. This fight was predicted to be the “fight of the century,” and it definitely lived up to its name.
This fight was the first ever boxing-UFC crossover event. Two athletes from two different sports worlds collided in one boxing arena. Floyd Mayweather (age 40), considered to be one of the greatest boxers of all time with a 49-0 record to show it, came out of retirement to give one more show and hopefully gain the magic 50-0 number. His opponent would be Conor McGregor (age 29). McGregor is a professional in the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and holds his own impressive fighting record as the former UFC Featherweight Champion and the current reigning UFC Lightweight Champion.
Although McGregor has outstanding fighting abilities, many did not think that this mixed martial artist could stand a chance against Mayweather’s expertise. Mayweather hasn’t lost a match since 1996 in the Olympics during his amateur days. In fact, other professional boxers viewed the fight as a joke. For instance, Manny Pacquiao, another former rival of Mayweather tweeted, “respect to McGregor for taking a chance but congrats to Floyd on #50” on Twitter. Yet, despite all odds, McGregor went out with a bang that surprised many.
Even though Mayweather came out of the ring victorious, McGregor’s stellar performance earned him a victory of his own. McGregor not only lasted 10 whopping rounds with the boxing master, but he also was able to pull out wins from three rounds. The first-time boxer managed to land 111 punches on 430 attempts during the fight, receiving a 26 percent strike rate. Although some may analyze this rate to be a low percentage, this strike rate still exceeds the strike rate that other professional boxers obtained against Mayweather. For instance, the esteemed boxer Pacquiao, was only able to hold a 19 percent strike rate with 81 punches out of 429 attempts from his defeat against Mayweather in May 2015. Despite the great efforts of McGregor during the first half of the fight, Mayweather took control and finished off his last fight with his trademarked defensive style.
Mayweather did exactly what he set out to do that night: fight with the same swagger that won him his other 49 victories. During the second half, Mayweather’s hits became more precise and more destructive, with each strike placed methodically. By the ninth round, it was clear who the dominant figure was in the ring, and the referee had no choice but to step in, ending the match in the 10th round.
Although some may comment that the referee ended the fight too soon, he did his job, which is to protect the safety and health of the fighters. McGregor’s body language showed all the signs of a weakened player. Sports analyst and professional boxer Andre Ward stated, “even though [McGregor] held the heart of a strong player, the fatigue started to set in, and Floyd Mayweather became a force that McGregor could no longer handle.”
McGregor fought the best fight he could against Mayweather. He battled with all the tools and skills he had and got nine rounds. McGregor could have easily gone in just for the money. He was estimated to earn $30 million from the fight, which is 10 times more than the disclosure he earned in his last match. Instead of trying to fight, he could have flopped on the floor within the first few rounds. Many other past competitors of Mayweather have made more of fool of themselves in the arena. Yet, McGregor chose to fight the good fight and he did not leave the ring embarrassed. Even though Mayweather dominated McGregor in the final half of the fight, it is important to recognize McGregor’s performance in the first three rounds. By standing his ground and lasting until the 10th round with a 49-0 boxing master, McGregor earned a new respect from boxing fans for the MMA industry. Mayweather even complimented McGregor after the fight and said, “He’s a lot better than I thought he was” and is definitely “a [heck] of a champion.”
Both fighters went out and gave their fans a show. What cemented this fight’s reputation as a great battle was the fact that these two stars both came into the arena and gave their all: McGregor showcasing his debut as a boxer and Mayweather showcasing his final fight before retirement.
Maybe this fight will spark a new series of MMA vs. boxing super-fights. Since an estimated 2.93 million people watched the match, there’s certainly incentive for the sports industry to host another super-fight. But for now, one thing can be sure: both competitors deserve a round of applause, and we can give Mayweather an immense amount of respect as he strolls into a well-deserved retirement.