Mayweather v McGregor: how an Irishman went from drains to fame

Not so long ago, Conor McGregor was digging ditches to make ends meet between training to become a UFC superstar.

An Instagram picture of Conor McGregor playing chess with a board made of plumbing parts

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.

Smart move. The Irishman is now on the cusp of entering rarefied air as he prepares to shock the world tomorrow afternoon (AEST) in the city of Las Vegas.

Earlier this year, ESPN rated McGregor 25th on their world fame list. The top 10 was dominated by soccer players, tennis players and golfers.

Cristiano Ronaldo was No 1, ­Lionel Messi at No 3, the pair split by basketball superstar Lebron James. Ronaldo has 93 million followers on Instagram. He is a global icon.

McGregor is closing fast. When ESPN produced the list in May, McGregor had 11.1 million followers on Instagram. Since then, he has added another six million ­followers.

His endorsements were valued at $US4 million, a miserly amount when you consider Ronaldo rakes in about eight times that amount. Yet McGregor stands to earn upwards of $US100m ($126m) from his bout with Floyd Mayweather and the world is his oyster should he produce a respectable performance.

His fight against Mayweather has taken him into the mainstream. Mixed martial arts, via the UFC, has become a rising phenomenon around the world.

Yet McGregor’s decision to dabble in boxing has garnered a new audience for him. There is no reason why McGregor can’t crack the top 10 at some point in the next 12 months, particularly given the exposure that comes with taking on a boxing legend in a fight which has captured the imagination.

Maybe Ronaldo is within reach. The fight is expected to be beamed into more than 220 countries. It has the potential to reach more than 1 billion eyeballs. Celebrities will flock to Las Vegas to ­attend the fight. Among those ­expected to be ringside are ­Angelina Jolie, Drake, Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Charlize Theron and James.

McGregor’s image has shared billing on the Vegas skyline this week with the likes of Cher and Britney Spears. The ageless David Copperfield as well. McGregor has presented the illusion of a man who believes he can accomplish the unthinkable and defeat ­Mayweather this weekend.

Even a creditable performance will suffice given McGregor is entering the unknown against the greatest fighter of his generation, albeit a Mayweather who is coming off a two-year hiatus during which he turned 40. Most experts believe even an ageing Mayweather will have too much in his kitbag for McGregor.

Some of the greatest fighters of this era have tried and failed to tag Mayweather. He has been knocked down once in his professional career and that was contentious given he looked in little trouble. For the most part he has dominated his opponents with his fast hands and elusive style.

McGregor is a rising phenomenon. His outrageous skills in the octagon pale into insignificance in comparison to his showmanship outside it. Nobody sells a fight ­better. His schtick has helped him transcend his sport. His press ­conferences are riddled with ­expletives. He was asked to ­audition for a role as a villain in a James Bond film but turned it down to focus on fighting.

He taunts his opponents. He taunts officialdom. He will say anything, any time. In a city that never sleeps, McGregor’s schtick never gets tired. His actions have spoken as loudly as any of his acerbic words in the octagon. McGregor has left a trail of ­destruction in his wake, making him the biggest name in mixed martial arts.

Mayweather represents an ­infinitely more difficult challenge given he is trading the octagon for the square circle. There seems ­little doubt it is worth the risk. Aside from the prize money, there is more gold waiting at the end of the rainbow. Greater fame and ­fortune are on the horizon.

It sure beats digging ditches.