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Floyd Mayweather & Conor McGregor

Floyd Mayweather v Conor McGregor: Free betting tips, predictions & odds for Saturday's Las Vegas blockbuster fight

Boxing

Sun August 27, 2017 · 7y ago

Simon Crawford is going for a Floyd Mayweather stoppage in this weekend's blockbuster fight against Conor McGregor.

Recommended Bet: Mayweather v McGregor

4pts Floyd Mayweather to beat Conor McGregor between rounds 7-12 at 15/4 - Mayweather could have to endure an early storm but will wear McGregor down and force an early finish

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It's a fight many thought could never happen.

It's a fight many people still think shouldn't be happening - but make no mistake about it, one of the greatest boxers of all time in Floyd Mayweather is taking on UFC star Conor McGregor this weekend in Las Vegas.

Mayweather has been coaxed out of retirement and puts a perfect professional 49-0 record on the line aginst Irishman McGregor, who will be making his boxing debut.

As a boxing purist, it's difficult for me to make much sense out of this match-up, other than the obvious fact that both participants will make millions of dollars.

Mayweather, 40, retired almost two years ago after a comprehensive points win over Andre Berto as he defended his the WBA 'super' and WBC world welterweight titles and there seemed little else for him to prove.

Click here for our Las Vegas diary and video clips of the Grand Arrivals

Conor McGregor arrives in Las Vegas ahead of his clash with Floyd Mayweather

He is one of the greatest boxers to ever lace up a pair of gloves - a five-weight world champion who has won no fewer than 15 world titles.

Certainly at the peak of his powers he was the undisputed number one pound-for-pound fighter and holds wins over the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Saul Alvarez, Miguel Cotto, Victor Ortiz, Shane Mosley, Oscar De La Hoya, Zab Judah, Sharmba Mitchell, Arturo Gatti, DeMarcus Corley and Britain's own Ricky Hatton.

He is a successful businessman, a trainer, a promoter and probably has more money in the bank than I could hope to spend in a lifetime.

Yet here he is putting everything on the line against McGregor who has seemingly managed to rile Mayweather enough to want to put the gloves on again.

It's been called many things from a circus to a farce but with over $60m banked in ticket sales at the T-Mobile Arena and expected record pay-per-view numbers all over the world, then people are certainly buying into it.

Mayweather v McGregor: Fight details

When is it? Saturday, August 26
Where? T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
What channel is it on in the UK? Sky Sports Box Office (show starts midnight BST)
Fight time? Roughly between 0400 and 0500 BST on Sunday morning
When is the weigh-in? 2300 BST on Friday August 25, live on Sky Sports Main Event
What are the latest Sky Bet odds? Mayweather Jr (1/4) v Conor McGregor (3/1)
What are their fight records? Mayweather: 49-0, 26 KOs, McGregor (MMA): 21-3, 18 KOs

So has McGregor got a chance in this 12-round super-welterweight clash?

There has certainly been money for him and he is now into 3/1 - still an outsider but certainly given more credence than when the fight was first announced.

While it is the 29-year-old's professional boxing debut, of course he is no stranger to it as it forms a big part of UFC, along with wrestling and martial arts.

But on Saturday night, he must face one of the best boxers there has ever been while only being allowed to use a fraction of the skills that have made him a stand-out UFC world champion.

He will have height and reach advantages, will be the heavier man in the ring and is naturally stronger.

Ricky Hatton on Floyd Mayweather v Conor McGregor

That's all well and good but to make them work in his favour he must find a way of landing some meaningful punches and few have been able to rattle Mayweather down the years.

"When a fighter has lost before, if he loses again they say 'oh, it's nothing, he's lost before," he said.

"But when a fighter has been dominating for 20-some years and never lost, everything is on the line.

"My legacy. My boxing record. Everything is on the line."

Take away the hype, the showmanship and the cringeworthy press conferences, basically you have one of the greatest boxers the sport has seen taking on someone who is not a boxer.

McGregor has a puncher's chance and the fact his unorthodox style might faze Mayweather for a round or two.

But what you must ask yourself is how can a boxing novice like McGregor possibly hope to achieve what the likes of De La Hoya, Mosley, Alvarez and Hatton were unable to?

I think the other crucial part of this fight is the scheduled three-minute 12-round distance.

McGregor has been used to fighting over five five-minute rounds in the UFC and I feel having to make this adjustment could be his downfall.

To stand any chance, I think the UFC star will have to make a fast start and try to swarm Mayweather, using his physical strength while they are in close.

This is going to use up a lot of energy early and McGregor is said to put on a lot of weight after the weigh in so I'm certain stamina will prove to be Achilles heel.

Mayweather has a tight guard, using his left shoulder and keeping his right hand high. He will look to see out the early storm and I am confident McGregor will simply run out of gas.

The boxer will then take charge, peppering his opponent with the jab and using his footwork to deliver lightning fast combinations before getting back out of range.

McGregor is a tough man and I don't expect a knockout - Mayweather has not forced one since 2011 against Ortiz.

But I do think he will create enough pressure to persuade referee Robert Byrd to end the contest at some point in the second half of the fight which can be backed at 15/4.

McGregor is the underdog for a reason and ultimately he will be schooled by a boxing master.

Posted at 1030 BST on 23/08/17.