Mayweather is arguably one of the best boxers of all time. McGregor is definitely the most popular MMA fighter to ever live. These two have a lot more in common than different and yet this fight created a split like no other.
It was Boxing vs MMA, Mayweather fan vs McGregor fan, friendships were lost, families were ruined, the spectacle took place and it was exactly what those against the fight said it’d be: pointless. Not that it wasn’t entertaining,it was definitely one of the more fun, emotion filled Mayweather fights we have seen in awhile. It’s just that, nothing really came of it. Boxing didn’t get its win and MMA didn’t get its respect, but what did happen is a lot of learning took place. Now that the dust has settled and all the pre fight emotions out of the way, here are X things we learned from Mayweather – McGregor.
#1: McGregor is Better Than We Thought
This was evident immediately when McGregor landed a huge left uppercut/ right hook combination on Floyd in the first round. It had many boxing fans nervous that their worst nightmare can come true. It is definitely not a shot an MMA fighter should be able to land on the best defensive fighter of all time. “But Floyd was just carrying…!” we’ll get to that later. This shot proved that despite lacking ring experience, one thing Connor did have is fight IQ going into the fight.
McGregor only came up short on the physical side of things, his speed, power, and stamina just weren’t enough for a boxing ring, but his fight IQ proved to be respectable. His timing was impeccable, he threw Floyd off with different looks more than once. Considering that Lomachenko, a two time Olympian, lost a fight he shouldn’t have lost because he rushed into the top ranks too early, Connor did well. Way better than some boxing “analyst” expected he would.
#2: Boxing Shouldn’t Be Underestimated
Many MMA fans and casual fight fans alike think that MMA fighters are boxers who know how to do everything else. There is a huge difference between knowing how to throw a proper punch and boxing. Boxing is more like chess than it is high speed checkers. It’s a thinking game as much as it is a physical one and so much goes into it that anyone who hasn’t spent years in that ring just doesn’t see. You learn to read certain situations, you learn to see when your opponent is going to make a mistake throw lazily. Often times you can even read your opponent trying to set up a shot and you learnt to bluff like it’s working to set that trap. This isn’t something you can teach a fighter.
One thing that a lot of MMA fans did is underestimate what boxers can do and it didn’t just have to do with the mental part. One of the biggest things people don’t realize is boxers hit harder…WAY harder than MMA fighters. Any MMA fighter who has been in a real boxing gym will attest to this. It’s only natural that when you focus on one thing you will be better at it than someone who has to focus on multiple things. If you watch the fight you can see Mayweather landing the much harder blows and being unphased by McGregor’s shots, where as in MMA he was putting guys to sleep left and right. Boxers take, and give punches better.
For those reasons, boxers should not be underestimated. You put a boxer in MMA gloves, and you have a dangerous man. In fact, part of what makes McGregor so good in the cage, is his boxing background.
If you don’t agree, consider this: a superior striker in the MMA, arguably in his prime, was stopped by 40 year old boxer, coming off a two year layoff, who hasn’t had a real knockout in over 7 years.
#3: The Public Loves Connor No Matter What
Whether we are talking build up or post fight, Connor Mcgregor can do no wrong. During the build up of his career and the fight, everything Mayweather did was arrogant and off putting. Yet in his career, McGregor has taken similar tactics and yet has become more likable. Without speculating the reason, this was an obvious reality after the fight finished.
Despite not delivering any promise he made in the pre fight hype, his fans still adored him. The same fans who claimed he would knock Floyd out in two, chanted “he did better than people thought.” And while he did do better, he wasn’t exactly “picking Floyd off” as he says he was.
Yet, love him or hate him, Connor Mcgregor has possibly the most supportive fans of any star to walk this earth.
#4: We Paid for an Exhibition Match
This isn’t to say McGregor didn’t do better than expected, and more than held his own in there, but the truth is, we paid $100 per television for an exhibition match. If McGregor entered boxing properly, with a few fights under his belt and worked his way up to twelve round fights, then maybe we could’ve called this fair game. But we took a guy out of his sport and put him against one of the most tactical boxers of all time and expected anything less than what transpired. Did anyone actually think Floyd wouldn’t be strategic for this fight and not wait for Connor to gas?
#5: We Prefer Everyone Stick to What They’re Good At
One of the biggest things I learned from this event is that I prefer everyone stick to their respective crafts. We love seeing McGregor demolishing guys in the cage and we love seeing guys outsmart younger fighters who are supposed to dethrone him. But the truth will always be this:
An MMA fighter belongs in the ring as much as Boxer belongs in the cage.
Its two different sports, two different ball games. Connor needs to go back and give us some great events, and Floyd, who looked like age was catching up in his last outing, needs to retire.
Thank You to Both Fighters
Thank you Connor for showing the world what balls look like. Stepping into another fight sport and challenging the best fighter there is.
Thank you Floyd for finding creative ways to keep boxing alive and always taking on all comers that call you out.
Thank you both for an entertaining night for fight fans.
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