Mayweather defeats McGregor via TKO in Round 10
Floyd Mayweather has defeated Conor McGregor via 10th round TKO, but he didn’t have it all his own way in a surprisingly competitive bout.
Floyd Mayweather will retire undefeated but his 50th and final victory took a lot longer than many expected.
The Fight of the Century was expected to be fast and furious. Instead, it took Mayweather until one minute into the 10th round to bring Conor McGregor’s resistance to an end.
McGregor was still on his feet and afterwards expressed his disappointment at the decision by referee Robert Byrd to intervene.
But there was no question the Irish UFC star was struggling as fatigue and Mayweather’s pinpoint punching started to take its toll.
The 40-year-old McGregor, returning after a two-year lay-off, looked rusty in the early going as the Irish mixed martial artists made the running - McGregor was awarded the first round by each of the three judges.
But as McGregor began to feel the heat, Mayweather stepped it ip and began to pick apart the Irishman. Byrd was eventually left with little choice as McGregor stumbled against the ropes following a flurry of right hands.
“He is a tough competitor,” Mayweather said.
“And I think we gave the fans what they wanted to see. I owe it to hm for … coming straight ahead. He as a lot better than I thought he was. He as a tough competitor but I was the better man tonight.”
There was no question who was the favourite among the crowd that filled T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to watch what is expected to go down as the most lucrative fight in combat sport history.
Mayweather, who could earn upwards of $300 million for the bout, was bidding to surpass heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano’s record of 49 fights without defeat.
McGregor, who earned just over $100 million, was bidding to become to produce what would have been one of the biggest upsets in combat sports history.
The fight was delayed after pay-per-view operators were forced to deal with a late flurry of requests. Once the fight began, McGregor gave his supporters early cause for optimism.
After taunting Mayweather throughout the lead-up to the fight, it was McGregor who presented the more solemn figure when the fighters were reminded of the rules prior to the opening bell by Byrd.
If he looked the more on edge before the opening bell, once the opening round began it was McGregor who found his rhythm. He constantly fawned at Mayweather with his right hand, using his reach to keep the undefeated 40-year-old at an uncomfortable distance.
McGregor’s confidence soared. He put his hands behind his back and dared Mayweather to hit him. He caught Mayweather with an upper cut. He set the distance and the pace.
In the second round he was warned for hitting Mayweather in the back of the head. The American appeared to be struggling to work out McGregor’s style.
By the fourth round, Mayweather began to find his range and McGregor - more used to fighting less rounds for longer minutes - started to show signs of fatigue.
By the mid-point of the fight. McGregor was running out of steam. Irish supporters in the crowd tried to rally their national hero, but he was wilting.
By round nine, it was all Mayweather. McGregor could barely keep up his arms as Mayweather rained blows on him.
Byrd had little choice but to intervene in the next round as McGregor stumbled back against the ropes after a series of heavy right hands.
“He’s composed, he’s not that fast, he’s not that powerful, but boy is he composed in there,” McGregor said.
“I thought it was close though and I thought it was a bit of an early stoppage. I was just a little fatigued. He was just a lot more composed with his shots.
“When you’re in here in the squared circle, everything is different. Let the man put me down, that’s fatigue, that’s not damage.
“Where was the final two rounds? Let me walk back to my corner and compose myself.”
Mayweather reiterated this would be his last fight and insisted the bout had gone precisely to the plan developed by him and his father, Floyd Mayweather Senior.
“Our game plan was to take our time, go to him, let him shoot his shots early and then take him out down the stretch,” Mayweather said.
“We know in MMA he fights for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, he started to slow down. If I am not mistaken, I guaranteed everybody this fight wouldn’t go the distance.
“Boxing is a hell of a sport. MMA is a hell of a sport. I want to thank all the fans and all the fans around the world.”
McGregor refused to rule out boxing again, although a return to the UFC will be his priority.
He also said he would have no troubles overcoming defeat.
“I have been here before,” McGregor said.
“I got strangled and came back. I thought it was close. It’s fatigue. That’s why I sad to the ref let it keep going, let me go down, let the man put me down.
“He had to change his style. Fair play to him. He is not that fast, he is not that powerful but boy is he composed in there.
“I thought it was close. There is a lot on the line here. He should heave let me keep going. It was just a little fatigue. He was a lot more composed under the shots.
“Early on I felt like I was handling it. I have to give it to him. That’s what you get with 50 pro fights.”
It will be Mayweather’s last, something he reiterated afterwards.
“I can’t do it without the fans,” he said.
“Rocky Marciano is a legend. I look forward to going down in the Hall of Fame some day.
“This is my last fight tonight ladies and gentlemen. I chose the right dance partner to dance with. Conor McGregor you are a hell of a champion and to the country of Ireland, we love you guys.” - Brent Read
What’s next for McGregor, Mayweather?
Mayweather will now head into what he says is a permanent retirement with a perfect 50-0 record, one better than heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano.
The American is also expected to be around $200 million wealthier, taking his career earnings to around $1 billion.
McGregor, who was an unemployed former plumber four years ago before emerging as one of the biggest stars of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, is expected to earn around $100 million. Agencies
Brent Read 3.10pm: Horn vs Pacquiao in jeopardy
Some breaking news from Las Vegas ... Jeff Horn’s promoters have confirmed his world title rematch against Manny Pacquiao is in jeopardy. Full story here.
Daniel Sankey 3.01pm: The fighters have their say
“If I’m not mistaken, I guaranteed that this fight would not go the distance,” a victorious Floyd Mayweather said in his post-fight interview.
“He was a lot better than I thought he was. He used angles. But I was the better man tonight.”
Mayweather’s victory takes his professional record to 50-0 ... one better than the record of the legendary Rocky Marciano.
However, don’t expect a 51st fight.
“This was my last fight tonight, ladies and gentlemen,” he said.
McGregor paid tribute to Mayweather, but argued the referee should not have stopped the fight.
“He’s not that fast, he’s not that powerful, but he’s composed. Fair play to him,” he said.
“I thought it was an early stoppage. They should have let me keep going.”
McGregor admitted he was fatigued, but said he still wished he had a chance to keep fighting.
Daniel Sankey 2.52pm: MAYWEATHER WINS VIA TKO IN ROUND 10
And that, as they say, is that.
Floyd Mayweather has defeated Conor McGregor via TKO in the 10th round of their superfight in Las Vegas, the referee stepping in to stop the fight as Mayweather landed a series of blows.
McGregor was game in defeat, winning the early rounds and trying desperately to fight back in the latter rounds as Mayweather upped the ante.
He was lucky to survive Round 9, and in Round 10, it was only a matter of time before Mayweather put him away.
Proudly, McGregor refused to go down, but Mayweather was landing hard blows against an exhausted opponent.
A good stoppage by the referee.
Daniel Sankey 2.50pm: ROUND 9
Huge round for Mayweather. McGregor opens with a nice uppercut to the body but from then on it’s all Mayweather. He’s land lefts and rights at will and McGregor is on wobbly legs. He survives the round but surely he won’t survive Round 10. He is hurt and exhausted.
Mayweather 87-McGregor 84
Daniel Sankey 2.46pm: ROUND 8
Better start to this round for McGregor, who uses good lateral movement to avoid an advancing Mayweather before landing a couple of nice shots.
As the round progresses, though, Mayweather’s continual forward pressure takes its toll. He continues to land to the body as McGregor tries desperately to land a killer blow.
It’s another Mayweather round.
Mayweather 77-75 McGregor
Daniel Sankey 2.42pm: ROUND 7
We’ve had a massive shift in momentum in this fight. Floyd Mayweather is really asserting his authority now, highlighted by a huge straight right that rocked McGregor’s head midway through the round.
McGregor, to his credit, is continuing to attack. But the openings that were there early in the fight have vanished and Mayweather is continuing to push the pace on a noticeably tiring McGregor.
Mayweather 67-66 McGregor
Daniel Sankey 2.37pm: ROUND 6
This fight is all even on our cards, folks.
McGregor really starting to look gassed as Mayweather lands to the body at will. An interesting moment halfway through the round as Mayweather again turns his back on McGregor before the referee separates them.
Mayweather’s shots to the body are being followed up with shots up high, and they’re landing.
Mayweather 57-57 McGregor
Daniel Sankey 2.33pm: ROUND 5
Have we seen a shift in this bout? Mayweather picked up in Round 5 where he left off in Round 4, holding the centre of the ring, working nicely off his jab.
Mayweather’s defensive prowess coming to the fore now as he sways and dodges from McGregor blows that were previously finding their mark.
Mayweather is beginning to land to the body now and the right hand is starting to find a home.
McGregor 48-47 Mayweather
Daniel Sankey 2.29pm: ROUND 4
That’s better from the undefeated champ. Round 4 sees Mayweather finally start to establish some authority in the centre of the ring. He’s walking forward and putting McGregor on the back foot. He’s on the board.
McGregor 39-37 Mayweather
Daniel Sankey 2.25pm: ROUND 3
Ugly third round. Mayweather is warned for dropping his head, but he’s also guilty of turning his back on McGregor on one occasion as well.
A couple of nice straight lefts landed by McGregor. It seems Mayweather is having a lot of trouble negotiating McGregor’s superior reach.
Mayweather looks frustrated. Closer round again, that one, but McGregor is doing enough.
McGregor 30-27 Mayweather
Daniel Sankey 2.21pm: ROUND 2
McGregor backs Mayweather into a corner to start the round. Mayweather looks calm but you wonder what’s going through his head. Did he expect McGregor to be this aggressive?
The fighters trade blows but McGregor seems to be controlling both the distance and pace of the fight.
A right hand by Mayweather is returned by a left-right combination by McGregor. The clinch and the referee separates them.
Little of note landed in that round but probably lean to McGregor. Can’t believe I’m typing that, by the way.
McGregor 20-18 Mayweather
Daniel Sankey 2.17pm: ROUND 1
Intense staredown as the referee lays down the law. Mayweather sways from side-to-side as McGregor stares intently.
McGregor charges early, hands held high and forces Mayweather up against the ropes with a nice combination that lands to the body. Mayweather is unfazed and darts out of trouble.
A good straight left by McGregor grazes the chin. Mayweather returns with a strong overhand right that misses. 1:28 left in the opening round and McGregor taunts Mayweather by putting his hands behind his back.
Mayweather seizing the centre of the ring as the fight goes on. He lands a right hand but McGregor returns with an uppercut.
Close first round. But McGregor’s landed more scoring shots.
McGregor 10-9 Mayweather
Daniel Sankey 2.08pm: The fighters enter the ring
Conor McGregor makes his way to the ring draped proudly in the Irish flag. He’s wearing white and gold trunks.
Floyd Mayweather is wearing all black ... and for some reason, he chose to wear a black balaclava as he walked to the ring. Guess he really does think this fight is going to be a mugging!
It’s showtime, people! If you’ve had a bet, good luck.
Daniel Sankey 2.02pm: Let’s get ready to rumble!
Imelda May performs a stirring rendition of the Irish national anthem, while Demi Lovato has the honour of singing Star Spangled Banner.
We’re just moments away from Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather making their way to the ring.
Brent Read 1.52pm: Sorry people ... delays confirmed
Showtime has released a statement confirming there may be a slight delay in the start time of the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight due to high demand.
“Due to high demand, we have reports of scattered outages from various cable and satellite provides and the online offering,” the statement said.
“We will delay the start of the main event slightly to allow for systems to get on track. We do not expect a lengthy delay.”
So if you were wondering why you’re now watching a replay of Mayweather’s 2015 bout against Andre Berto ... that’s why.
Brent Read 1.48pm: Boos over stoppage
Controversial end to the Gervonta Davis fight. Davis looked to hit Francisco Fonseca in the back of the head in round eight but the referee ruled it a knock down and the Costa Rican failed to regain his feet in time.
There were loud boos when replays were shown of the blow which ended the fight. Boos rang out again as the ring announcer confirmed Davis had won by knockout.
Not that the hard-hitting American seems overly concerned. He won’t regain his title because he failed to make weight but he retains his unbeaten record.
Davis was drowned out by boos as he was interviewed in the ring after the fight and asked to explain the final punch.
“He was hurt,” Davis said.
“I don’t think it was legal but I don’t think it had any effect on him.”
Fonseca, speaking through in interpreter, said it was an illegal blow.
“I just want a rematch,” Fonseca said.
“He never hurt me. He doesn’t hit as hard as they say he hits.”
Baltimore native Gervonta Davis is a showman in the squared circle. Lefty swag. I'm a fan. But that's not a legal punch. #MayweatherMcGregor pic.twitter.com/HN0FD1V6WB
— Chris Miller 🎥🎙🀠(@cmillscsn) August 27, 2017
Daniel Sankey 1.35pm: Delays for the big fight?
ESPN is reporting that the start of the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight could be delayed because of pay-per-view outages in the United States.
Earlier today, UFC Fight Pass tweeted that overwhelming traffic had been causing log-in issues for customers.
There were similar delays when Floyd Mayweather took on Manny Pacquiao in 2015, ESPN reported.
From ringside in Las Vegas, The Australian’s Brent Read said we should spare a thought for the punter who’s now going to have to wait a bit longer to see if his big wager comes off. The punter reportedly had $100,000 on McGregor to win the fight at odds of $4.25. That’d be a $325,000 profit if it comes off ... or a very glum night if it doesn’t!
.@UFCFightPass customers: Due to overwhelming traffic you may be experiencing log in issues. This will be resolved shortly.
— UFC (@ufc) August 27, 2017
Daniel Sankey 1.30pm: Celebrity spotting
As with any big money fight in Las Vegas, there are plenty of celebrities on hand to watch the action.
NBA superstar LeBron James is in the house, sitting just in front of boxing legend Mike Tyson.
Brent Read reports that Angelina Jolie will be in attendance, while singer Demi Lovato - a noted combat sports fan - is also on hand.
Brent Read 1.10pm: Gervonta Davis’s troubled childhood
A bit more background on Gervonta Davis. As a kid, he was taken away from his parents because they were both drug users.
He spent much of his time living with foster parents. He says he was in the gym from the age of seven to keep him off the streets, which is where he came under the tutelage of his trainer Calvin Ford.
He met Floyd Mayweather during a press event in Washington and after Mayweather watched him train, he was invited to join his team.
He carries the nickname ‘Tank’, turned professional in 2013 and won his first world title in his 17th fight when he destroyed Jose Pedraza.
He was stripped of the IBF super feavweight belt on the eve of today’s fight after failing to make weight.
The fight goes ahead but Davis cannot win the belt. Fonseca can.
Daniel Sankey 1.05pm: Who wore it better?
IMHO, Gervonta Davis got nothin’ on Grover.
I love twitter. #MayweatherMcGregor pic.twitter.com/Zy4hluM5Z9
— Brian Fraser (@brianpfraser) August 27, 2017
Brent Read 12.45pm: Jack is one out of the box
Gee, that was an impressive performance from Badou Jack against Nathan Cleverly. The referee eventually stepped in to stop the fight with 12 seconds remaining in the fifth round.
He had no choice. Cleverly was taking a beating.
Jack, a former WBC super middleweight champion, wins the WBA (regular) light heavyweight title. Good vibes for Floyd Mayweather as well given Jack is promoted by the Mayweather camp.
“It is a dream come true,” Jack said. “Who don’t want to be on a big card like this? Everything happens for a reason.”
Asked about the possibility of fighting light heavyweight superstar Andre Ward next, Jack said: “Let’s get it on.”
Cleverly was gracious in defeat, praising Jack for his power.
“Jack was very strong. He caught me and broke my nose in the third round. It was a downward spiral from there. I was wounded and protecting myself. It’s horrible but part of the sport,” he said.
“I thought the stoppage was premature. He had just swung and missed but it’s up to the referee in the end. I have to respect that decision.
“I’ll re-evaluate. I have a lot of miles left in me. I’m a two-time world champion. I have to take it from here and decide where I go.
“It’s a special event here. To be a part of it is massive. It’s a worldwide event and It’s a great feeling to be a part of history. The result was poor for me but it’s a fight and anything can happen.”
Next up on the card is another in Mayweather’s stable — Gervonta Davis. Davis is a deadset superstar, although he has had to forego his IBF super featherweight title after failing to make weight. Davis is regarded as Mayweather’s protege and has won 17 of his 18 fights by knockout.
His style and punching power have drawn comparison to Mike Tyson.
His backstory is a belter. His trainer Calvin Ford was the inspiration for a character in TV show The Wire. He won 206 of his 221 amateur fights and has been on a tear in the professional ranks. He’ll fight Francisco Fonseca.
Crowd starting to fill out now. Next fight should be a belter. Gervonta Davis is a superstar pic.twitter.com/8K3HHpga6V
— Brent Read (@brentread_7) August 27, 2017
Brent Read 12.35pm: Fighters are in the house
Vision of Conor McGregor arriving at the stadium has just been shown on the big screen. His partner Dee and son Conor were also on hand.
The stadium is slowly filling and they let out a loud cheer as the Irishman made his way to the ring.
McGregor has been a clear favourite among fans in the lead-up to tonight’s fight, most tellingly yesterday at the weigh-in as Irish supporters descended on T-Mobile Arena.
It remains to be seen how many of them shelled out money to buy tickets for the fight given how expensive they were.
The early indications are that the mixed martial arts champion will be the crowd favourite despite the fight being held in Floyd Mayweather’s home town of Las Vegas.
Daniel Sankey 12.20pm: WBA title up for grabs
It’s Sweden vs Britain in our next bout, with Badou Jack (21-1-2) and Nathan Cleverly (30-3) duking it out for the WBA light heavyweight title.
Jack has made something of a profession out of taking on UK boxers recently. He defeated George Groves via split decision in September 2015, and earlier this year had a majority draw against another Brit, James DeGale.
Cleverly, a Welshman, is defending the title, which he won with a stoppage victory over German Jurgen Brahmer in October last year.
12.05pm: A potential mismatch? Don’t care
The stacked odds against McGregor are unlikely to put off casual sports fans, with millions of viewers across the United States expected to pay $US99.95 to watch the bout on pay-per-view television.
In Australia, the pay per view is available on Foxtel’s Main Event (for $59.95)
Stephen Espinoza, the head of cable network Showtime Sports which is selling the fight in the US, said surveys had shown that fans were not bothered by predictions of a one-sided bout.
“The casual fans were absolutely adamant,” Espinoza said.
“Their response almost universally was ‘We don’t care if it’s a mismatch ... if there’s a .01 (percent) chance that something incredible could happen, we need to watch it.’
“And that’s why they’re going to watch it.”
Some projections have indicated the fight is on track to surpass the 4.6 million pay-per-view buys of Mayweather’s 2015 “Fight of the Century” against Manny Pacquiao.
If that happens, the bout is almost certain to become the richest fight in history and will leave Mayweather and McGregor laughing all the way to the bank.
— AFP
Daniel Sankey 11.55am: Tabiti defeats Cunningham
Andrew Tabiti captured the NABF Cruiserweight Title with a unanimous points decision victory (97-93, 100-90, 100-90) over former world champion Steve Cunningham.
It was a bout that failed to reach any great heights, with neither fighter landing a killer blow. The more younger Tabiti was able to outbox his 41-year-old opponent to take his record to 15 wins from as many bouts.
Cunningham, who’s lost three of his past five bouts, dropped to 29-9-1.
“It feels good. I was just jabbing him and making sure I stayed smart. He’s a veteran so I had to stay composed. I wanted to show that I could box. This was a step up for me and I felt comfortable in there,” Tabiti said.
“He had a decent jab but he wasn’t busy enough. I just didn’t want to make mistakes. If you start too fast against a veteran you’re liable to get caught by him.
“I just stayed calm in there. I wanted it to look like I was the veteran. He didn’t press the issue enough. When he did, I was trying to catch him.
“This feels great. I’m very appreciative to my whole team. A lot of people don’t get these opportunities and I’m just happy to be in this position. I’m going to keep training and see what the next step is.”
Cunningham criticised Tabiti for not working hard enough during the fight.
“I don’t think Andrew Tabiti is a championship level fighter. I thought I won the fight. I didn’t think I saw anything special from him,” Cunningham said.
“He was quick and sharp, so I didn’t want to just lunge in and make a mistake. I took my time but when I saw that he wasn’t trying to fight, I had to push it a little more.
“I was in there trying to fight. I thought we should have gone in there and worked for our money. He didn’t want to give the fans the show they deserved.”
Daniel Sankey 11.50am: Money for Mayweather
Floyd Mayweather remains a hot favourite with the bookmakers to defeat Conor McGregor in their superfight, which will start sometime after 1.15pm (AEST).
Locally, Mayweather is a $1.28 head-to-head favourite with the TAB, with McGregor a $3.75 outsider.
In the US, you can get much longer odds on McGregor, with as much as +500 ($6) being offered with Las Vegas bookmakers, compared to just $1.14 for a Mayweather victory.
As of Saturday, four separate bets of $1 million or more had been placed on Mayweather to win. Those wagers included a $1.2 million cash bet that will earn around $240,000.
William Hill US said the amount of money wagered on the fight had already surpassed any other bout in Las Vegas history.
Yet the fact that so many in the boxing and betting world see the outcome of Saturday’s contest as a foregone conclusion has not deterred the massed ranks of McGregor’s Irish supporters.
The Las Vegas streets surrounding the fight venue following Friday’s weigh-in were transformed into a sea of emerald green as McGregor’s raucous army of supporters danced and chanted under blazing sunshine.
While ringside tickets were being offered on secondary markets this week for as much as 102,000 each, some seats inside the T-Mobile Arena were still for sale on Saturday.
Many fans will take the cheaper option of watching the fight at closed-circuit screenings at casinos throughout Sin City.
Parking for private jets at Las Vegas’s McCarran International Airport meanwhile was expected to reach capacity as a deluge of celebrities began arriving for the fight.
— with AFP
Daniel Sankey 11.30am: Judge Jackson’s verdict
One of the brightest prospects in Australian boxing right now is featherweight Luke “Action” Jackson, a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist in 2006 who went on to captain the Australian boxing team at the 2012 London Olympics.
Since turning professional, Jackson has established an undefeated 14-0 record. Hopefully a shot at a world title is not too far away for the Tasmanian.
While we love his form in the ring, we also love how he’s not afraid to share his opinions. And he’s got a strong one on how the Mayweather-McGregor fight will turn out today.
My thoughts on today #MayweatherMcGregor pic.twitter.com/Mwml9tvkbe
— Luke Jackson (@LukeJackson) August 26, 2017
Brent Read 11.10am: An undercard gem
The next fight should be a beauty. Andrew ‘The Beast’ Tabiti is a knockout specialist who has finished 12 of his 14 fights inside the distance. He is unbeaten and a rising star in the cruiserweight division. Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham is 41 but a former IBF champion. It should be a good test for the 27-year-old Tabiti. The NABF cruiserweight title is up for grabs.
In the previous fight, Yordenis Ugas scored a narrow unanimous decision victory over a game Thomas Dulorme (94-91, 93,92, 93-92).
Daniel Sankey 10.48am: Ireland dares to dream
Not surprisingly, Ireland’s media is daring to believe their underdog hero, Conor McGregor, can walk away the victor in his superfight with undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Writing for the Irish Times, reporter Ken Early said McGregor had convinced himself that victory was the only outcome in the fight.
“In his conscious mind, at least, he is convinced that this is a good decision and that he is going to win this fight,” Early writes.
“This belief is contagious: when you talk to people who spend any time with him they all think that he has at least a good chance, despite all the evidence to the contrary.
“They will remind you that Floyd Mayweather is 40, they will talk about the possibilities of the clinch, they will say that this is fighting and anything can happen in fighting.”
Writing for the Irish Independent, Jack O’Toole explains McGregor’s humble beginnings in Crumlin, a place in which “you can’t cross the street without fear of a fight breaking out”.
“The world may see him as the brash, polar-bear coat wearing, Lamborghini driving prize-fighter, but to those who know him, he’s the kid from Crumlin who took on the world. The kid with the cheeky grin that made it big,” O’Toole writes.
Brent Read 10.42am: Huge Horn news to come?
Speaking of Jeff Horn, there could be some big news later today in relation to his next fight.
Horn was expected to defend his WBO welterweight title against Manny Pacquiao on November 12 in Brisbane.
However, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum this morning said he was still trying to firm up whether Pacquiao wanted to fight or focus on his duties in the Philippines senate.
Expect some more certainty later today but regardless of whether it is Pacquiao or someone else, Arum said Horn would defend his title later this year in a fight which would be broadcast through America on ESPN.
Daniel Sankey 10.27am: Dulorme goes down
A terrific fight brewing here between welterweights Yordenis Ugas (19-3) and Thomas Dulorme (24-2). Ugas was a slight favourite with the bookies heading into the fight, but it looked like he would walk away with a dominant victory when he twice knocked down Dulorme in Round 2.
Dulorme, a former world title challenger, was able to bounce back from the knockdowns and make it through the round. We’re now about to head into Round 4 and while Ugas is well ahead on points, Dulorme showed enough heart in the third round to show this won’t be a walkover.
Brent Read 10.02am: No threat to Horn
Not much for WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn to fear from those two. Some late fireworks but Juan Hernaldez and Jose Borrego missed more than they landed. Heraldez got the win by unanimous decision to remain undefeated. Borrego suffered his first loss as a pro. Judges scored it: 96-93, 97-92, 97-92.
Next up are welterweights Yordenis Ugas (19-3) and Thomas Dulorme (24-2). Ugas is a former world amateur champion from Cuba, while Dulorme, a Puerto Rican signed to Mayweather promotions, is a former light welterweight title challenger. Dulorme was stopped by Terence Crawford, rated the number two pound for pound boxer on the planet, in a WBO light welterweight title fight in 2015.
Daniel Sankey 9.55am: Conor Jr’s a stylish boy
There’s only room for two Conor McGregors on this planet. And if this photo is anything to go by, we have another Irish superstar in the making in Conor McGregor’s son, Conor Jack.
Much like his famous father, Conor Jack — who is just three months old — has an immaculate sense of style and is taking the craziness of Las Vegas in his stride. Well, he would be taking it in his stride ... if he could walk.
Daniel Sankey 9.45am: Teddy tells it like it is
Veteran trainer Teddy Atlas hasn’t minced his words when asked for his opinion on who will win the Mayweather-McGregor superfight.
On Friday in Las Vegas, he told The Australian’s Brent Read that he wouldn’t be surprised if McGregor resorted to illegal tactics in the bout.
Today, he had even more stern words for the UFC featherweight champion, who’s making his boxing debut against an undefeated legend of the sport.
“Would a ping-pong player have a chance of scoring a point against Roger Federer?” Atlas told AFP.
“It’s going to be like walking through a really bad neighbourhood late at night. McGregor’s going to get mugged.”
Brent Read 9.30am: Potential Horn opponents?
The two men who have just kicked off proceedings on the Mayweather-McGregor undercard are potential future opponents for Brisbane’s own world champion, Jeff Horn.
Undefeated welterweight Jose Borrego is currently trading blows with undefeated American Juan Guillermo Heraldez.
Not many people in the stadium just yet. Still several hours until the big guns take to the ring (Mayweather and McGregor won't commence their walkouts before 1.15pm AEST).
Daniel Sankey 9.25am: Quick work?
Former UFC title challenger-turned colour commentator Kenny Florian says it would be a failure for Floyd Mayweather failed to knock out Conor McGregor.
Why’s that? Because if they met in the UFC’s Octagon, Florian believes McGregor would win the fight inside two minutes.
.@KennyFlorian: It would be a failure if Mayweather went 12 rounds w/McGregor. If they met in the Octagon, Conor would beat Floyd in 2 mins. pic.twitter.com/bCnAMBQcH0
— Speak For Yourself (@SFY) August 25, 2017
Daniel Sankey 9.10am: One ‘0’ must go
Undercard fights are just starting now (you can watch them live on Fox Sports 1).
First up is a clash of undefeated welterweights in Mexico’s Jose Miguel Borrego (13-0) and Las Vegas native Juan Heraldez (12-0).
Brent Read 8.55am: Feud boils over
The festering feud between Top Rank founder and chief executive Bob Arum and UFC boss Dana White has exploded again only hours before the fight of the century.
Arum this morning attended a press conference to announce an extension to his deal with sports broadcasting giant ESPN, which will result in Brisbane world champion Jeff Horn’s first title defence later this year being beamed into millions of homes in America.
Asked this morning whether he would be attending Floyd Mayweather’s fight against UFC champion Conor McGregor at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Arum replied: “No, because it is an event for schmucks and I am not a schmuck. Floyd Mayweather is one of the most skilled guys going, as he has proved. McGregor is a nice guy, really a good guy, and he is a terrific MMA fighter but as a boxer he doesn’t know how to spell fight.
“The truth is his stance is all wrong, Floyd will knock him out whenever he can. You guys when you write about it don’t blame Floyd for fleecing the public.
“It is not Floyd, it is the foul-mouthed charlatan — you know who I am talking about — who stirred this up and is selling the public a bunch of nonsense.”
The last quote was a reference to White, the pair having engaged in a very public stoush in the lead-up to the clash between Mayweather and McGregor.
White recently labelled the 85-year-old Arum as “senile”.
Daniel Sankey 8.52am: Okay, that’ll do me
Please stop now.
There's been so much interest in #MayweaterMcGregor fight that I even found this discarded @TheNotoriousMMA doppelgänger press conf paper pic.twitter.com/meBWBeSdwU
— Gareth A Davies (@GarethADaviesDT) August 26, 2017
Daniel Sankey 8.50am: The highlights
Here's a handy guide to the big fights on the Mayweather-McGregor card. If you’re a social media fiend, #MayweatherMcGregor is the official hashtag ... but there are some cool emojis that pop in on Twitter when you use the #ConorMcGregor and #FloydMayweather hashtags as well.
🚨🚨 OFFICIAL HASHTAGS TONIGHT:#MayweatherMcGregor / #ConorMcGregor / #FloydMayweather pic.twitter.com/hyLBAiHZqW
— UFC (@ufc) August 26, 2017
Daniel Sankey 8.30am: What time is the fight?
Wondering what time Mayweather and McGregor will walk to the ring at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas?
Well, you’ve got plenty of time to enjoy your brunch, because the fighters won’t start their walkouts until at least 1.15pm AEST.
And that’s assuming the undercard fights (which start at 9am AEST) don’t go over time, which they generally tend to do.
Full undercard is here — there are a couple of decent fights to get us warmed up as well! — and every other question you’ve got can be answered in our complete guide to the fight.
For all those asking: McGregor/Mayweather won't walk to the ring before 11:15 pm ET, according to multiple sources. Plan accordingly.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) August 26, 2017
Daniel Sankey 8.15am: A mismatch?
Floyd Mayweather remains a hot favourite with the bookies, and most boxing experts seem to agree that he’ll be far too good for a man making his professional boxing debut.
Four-time world champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley, who lost a unanimous decision to Mayweather for the undisputed welterweight title back in 2010, told Undisputed with Skip Bayliss and Shannon Sharpe said he saw Mayweather “having a great time” in the fight.
“At least if he wants to, Floyd could knock him out by the fourth or fifth round. I think that he’ll give the fans a show and then he’s going to be laughing all the way to the bank,” Mosley said.
“When he (McGregor) gets hit by Mayweather, he’s going to be like ‘wow, this is different from UFC punches.”
Mosley said he did not buy into thoughts that eight-ounce gloves were an advantage for McGregor.
“This is the misconception about people with the gloves. The gloves are only meant to protect the fighter’s hand. It’s not meant ... to protect the fighter’s jaw.”
.@ShaneMosley_: If Floyd wants, he could knock Conor out by the 4th or 5th round. He'll give fans a show then laugh all the way to the bank. pic.twitter.com/n1qq0RgwfE
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) August 18, 2017
Daniel Sankey 7.55am: Embedded Episode 6
If you missed yesterday’s weigh-ins (which were all show all on their own! Read Brent Read’s wrap here), it’s worth checking out the final episode of the UFC Embedded series.
The episode takes you behind the scenes of the weigh-ins with both fighters ... but also gives you a bit of a feel of just how amazing the Irish support for Conor McGregor is.
Daniel Sankey 7.40am: The Wait Is Over
Showtime has released the opener to the Mayweather-McGregor broadcast ... and they’ve spared no expense, with Golden Globe winning actor Don Cheadle narrating.
If this doesn’t get you excited, nothing will.
Daniel Sankey 7.20am: The Money Fight
They’re calling it The Money Fight ... but how much money will each of the fighters actually make?
The Nevada Athletic Commission has disclosed the fighter’s salaries for the bout, and they’re astronomical.
Floyd Mayweather will take home a purse of $100 million for the bout, while Conor McGregor gets $30 million.
You might say McGregor has drawn the short straw here ... and he has when you consider his purse is less than a third of his opponent’s. But it’s still ten times more than he’s ever made for a bout in the UFC, in which he’s the reigning lightweight champion.
Those disclosed purses, though, are in reality nowhere near what the actual fighters will pocket out of the bout, as they don’t include bonuses for pay per view sales and sponsors.
In reality, Mayweather is likely to earn around $300 million in his 50th professional bout, while McGregor will earn around $100 million.
Nice work if you can get it.
Daniel Sankey 7.15am: ‘You’ll never beat the Irish’
Floyd Mayweather lives in Las Vegas in a mansion that’s so opulent it will make your eyes water (take a look here and be get ready to be jealous) — so technically, he should have the support of a hometown crowd, right?
Well, probably not.
The Irish are out in force and even if they don’t have the numbers of the Mayweather fans, you can bet they’ll drown out their opposing fans.
Take a look at the video (below) that The Australian’s Brent Read posted yesterday as Irish fans gathered before the weigh-in for a sneak peek of what to expect later today.
Maybe McGregor was right about Ireland taking over Las Vegas. Amazing scenes following weigh-in. #MayweatherMcGregor pic.twitter.com/6eJFRIWlq0
— Brent Read (@brentread_7) August 25, 2017
Brent Read 7.10am: Ditches to riches
Just last month, Conor McGregor posted a picture of himself playing chess to his 17 million followers on Instagram. The board in the picture carried special significance.
Along with the pieces, it was made from plumbing parts. Not so long ago, McGregor was digging ditches to make ends meet between training to become a mixed martial arts superstar.
The chess board was a reminder of how far McGregor has come in a short time. Despite protests from his father, McGregor gave up his plumbing apprenticeship to focus on his mixed martial arts career.
You can read the full story here.
Daniel Sankey 7.05am: Your complete guide
From most ridiculous bets (risk $880k to win $120k) to fight time, here's everything you need to know about #MayMac. https://t.co/vgdBICIZqA pic.twitter.com/QypSLPbh2Z
— Daniel Sankey (@Daniel_Sankey) August 25, 2017
7am: The full card
Super welterweight: Floyd Mayweather Jr (49-0) vs Conor McGregor (debut)
WBA world light heavyweight title: Nathan Cleverly (30-3) vs Badou Jack (21-1-2)
IBF world super featherweight title: Gervonta Davis (18-0) vs Francisco Fonseca (19-0-1)
Welterweight: Yordenis Ugas (19-3) vs Thomas Dulorme (24-2)
NABF cruiserweight title: Andrew Tabiti (14-0) vs Steve Cunningham (29-8-1)
Welterweight: Juan Heraldez (12-0) vs Jose Miguel Borrego (13-0)
Super middleweight: Savannah Marshall (debut) vs Sydney LeBlanc (4-3-1)
Super middleweight: Kevin Newman II (7-0-1) vs Mark Anthony Hernandez (9-1-0)
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