UFC commentator Joe Rogan thinks Conor McGregor has what it takes to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. should the two fight in the future, although he concedes it’s unlikely the two will face off.
Speculation has been swirling about a possible showdown between the MMA juggernaut and retired boxer, fueled further by McGregor posting a snap on social media of a mockup fight poster featuring the two. Rogan thinks both fighters could potentially beat the other, depending on the permutations, per the Joe Rogan Experience (h/t Jed Meshew of MMA Fighting):
If [McGregor] and [Mayweather] fight in MMA, [McGregor] will f--k him up. He will f--k him up...But, in a boxing match, I can't imagine a world where [Mayweather] doesn’t f--k [McGregor] up.
In a boxing match I think [Mayweather] is arguably the greatest boxer of all time...He's just so much better. And if people don't know, if you think you're really good and then you get in there and box a guy like that, he will f-----g expose the s--t out of you.
As a caveat to that line of thinking, Rogan believes the age difference between the pair—McGregor is 12 years younger—and the power of the UFC star could play a part.
“For every guy like Bernard Hopkins, there's a bunch of guys where the wheels just fall off and all of a sudden they can't take a punch anymore and they can't fight anymore, they don't move good anymore,” he added.
The following clip includes Rogan’s thoughts in full from the two-hour, two-minutes mark. (Warning, expletive language used):
Additionally, the commentator revealed he doesn’t think the fight will happen “unless the UFC is involved,” something he concedes is unlikely.
It’s a prospect that has captured the imagination of so many fight fans and casual sports fans around the globe. After all, these men are two of the biggest sporting figures in the world, not to mention the main draws in their respective disciplines. To see them face off would be captivating.
However, talk of a bout already has some fans a little fed up, including MMA Junkie’s Ben Fowlkes:
That’s because even though Mayweather told FightHype.com that it’s “possible” this fight could go ahead, it’s most likely bluster.
McGregor, after all, has a contract with the UFC, something that Meshew noted in his article is very difficult to get out of. Also, the Notorious would be well aware of the fact that for all his excellent striking ability and raw power, if he were to go toe-to-toe with Mayweather in a boxing bout, he’d be outclassed by the man known as Money.
Nevertheless, as Bloody Elbow noted, bookmakers Bovada feel as though the UFC star has a better chance of beating Mayweather than his last opponent, Andre Berto, who is a two-time welterweight world champion:
There are hints out there pointing toward a possible return for the boxer, who retired after he beat Berto last year.
When Showtime (h/t the Guardian) asked about a return earlier this month, he said, “You just never know.” Additionally, Darren Rovell of ESPN.com reported that Mayweather Promotions filed for “50” trademarks, including “TMT 50” and “TBE 50”; Money’s professional record currently stands at 49 wins from 49 fights.
MMA author Jack Slack thinks a 50th professional bout against McGregor would be especially easy work for the former fighter:
There’d be obvious benefits for both men if such an event were to be staged, the most notable being lucrative gain. Mayweather and McGregor both generate massive amounts of hype, and Rogan noted in his segment that he would expect three million pay-per-view buys for the fantasy fight. Given both men are excellent talkers, the build-up would be absorbing too.
Even so, it’s not going to happen. There are obvious comparisons to draw between the two as combat sports stars, but they’re masters in completely different disciplines. It’d be a huge surprise to see either cross from one code to another.
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