On August 26, 2017, boxing icon Floyd Mayweather Jr. and UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor will square off in a bout which has been dubbed “The Money Fight.”
On paper, this contest would appear to be a bit of a mismatch. Mayweather has compiled an impressive 49-0 record as a professional boxer and is considered one of the best fighters of his era.
Conversely, McGregor has never even participated in a professional boxing match and will need to rely heavily on the striking skills he’s learned as a mixed martial artist if he expects to have any chance of defeating the future pro boxing Hall of Famer.
Despite the fact that Mayweather would seem to have a clear advantage going into this fight, there are still many fans that are willing to shell out their hard-earned money to see how the contest unfolds.
This is because Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor are quite simply the two biggest names in combat sports today.
However, regardless of who actually wins the contest, it’s fair to say that neither man will go home disappointed. According to a recent Boxing Kingdom tweet, McGregor could take home an estimated $127 million, while Mayweather could earn as much as $400 million if the event does as well as expected.
As a precursor to this historic money making event it seemed appropriate to take a look back at the highlights and the lowlights of these two combat sports legends.
15 15. Does: Floyd Mayweather Highest Paid Athlete
Floyd Mayweather is certainly proud of his ability to bring in the big bucks. After all, the man’s nickname is "Money."
During the course of his boxing career thus far, he has been named Forbes Magazine’s highest paid athlete from 2012 through 2015. Moreover, the native of Grand Rapids, Michigan has generated approximately $1.3 billion in pay-per-view revenue as a professional fighter.
The image above showing the former boxing champion quite literally lying next to a pile of cash is a photo he is likely quite proud of. There is probably more money in this image than most people make in a decade or perhaps even a lifetime.
Photos like this serve as a reminder that Floyd Mayweather is the biggest attraction in professional sports and that is definitely something he wants people to remember.
14 14. Doesn't: Floyd Maywether In Handcuffs
Floyd Mayweather’s numerous run-ins with the law have helped make him one of the most controversial athletes currently competing in any sport.
In 2002, he received two days of house arrest and performed 48 hours of community services after being charged with misdemeanor battery and domestic violence.
He received a one-year jail sentence (which was suspended) after being convicted of misdemeanor battery against two women in 2004. Mayweather went on to receive a 90-day jail sentence in 2005 for striking a bouncer.
The pugilist also received a 90-day jail sentence in 2011 after pleading guilty to misdemeanor harassment and battery charges.
Images like this one, which shows Mayweather being removed from the courtroom in handcuffs, certainly don’t help his public profile. It’s a safe bet that this is a photo that Floyd Mayweather doesn’t want people to see.
13 13. Does: Conor McGregor Knocks Out Jose Aldo
Prior to his fight with Jose Aldo, Conor McGregor was seen as a popular contender and even held the interim title in the Featherweight division. However, after the Irishman knocked out the Brazilian in 13 seconds he cemented his status as one of the best fighters in the UFC.
It’s easy to forget that prior to the contest Jose Aldo had not lost a fight in nearly a decade, thus making McGregor’s accomplishment that much more impressive.
If one had to select a moment when the native of Dublin, Ireland went from being a star to a megastar, it would have to be following his victory over Aldo.
This image shows McGregor just after landing the shot that wound up winning him his first ever UFC (undisputed) Championship. There is no question this is an image he wants folks to remember.
12 12. Doesn't: Conor McGregor Throwing Water Bottles
Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz are known for being two of the most unpredictable fighters to ever compete in the sport of mixed martial arts. Prior to a scheduled rematch between the two combatants at UFC 202, a press conference was held in order to generate further hype for the already anticipated event.
During the conference, Diaz marched offstage while McGregor was speaking and even flashed his middle finger on the way out. There was a verbal exchange between the two, which eventually escalated into several water bottles being thrown by both men.
The incident actually resulted in the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) fining McGregor $75,000 for the perceived infraction. Truthfully, the whole incident was childish, costly, and something that the former Featherweight Champion would probably just soon have us forget altogether.
11 11. Does: Floyd Mayweather Winning An Olympic Medal
Before he began his legendary career in professional boxing, Floyd Mayweather was a member of the United States Olympic boxing team. Mayweather took part in the 1996 Olympic Games, which were held in Atlanta, Georgia.
He defeated the likes of Artur Gevorgyan of Armenia and Lorenzo Aragon of Cuba, before eventually losing a controversial bout against Bulgarian fighter Serafim Todorov. However, Mayweather still ended up taking home a bronze medal for his efforts.
The U.S. team did file a formal protest after the bout with Todorov, citing that the head of boxing officials (who was Bulgarian) intimated the judges in a manner that caused them to favor the Bulgarian fighter.
It’s fair to assume that Floyd Mayweather believes he should have been allowed to advance to the gold medal round. That being said, capturing an Olympic medal (even a bronze) is career highlight any athlete can be proud of.
10 10. Doesn't: Floyd Mayweather Defamation Lawsuit
Floyd Mayweather participated in an interview with award-winning journalist Katie Couric, prior to his highly anticipated bout with Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao in 2015.
During the interview, Mayweather made the mistake of discussing a domestic violence incident involving his ex-girlfriend Josie Harris which took place back in 2010. Mayweather stated during the conversation with Couric that his former flame was, in fact, a drug abuser.
The comments made during the program prompted Harris to file a defamation lawsuit. Mayweather’s former girlfriend sought $20 million in damages over the incident.
While the final results of the case don’t appear to have been made public, the lawsuit did once again draw attention to the former champ’s history of domestic violence. In all likelihood, Floyd Mayweather probably wished the interview never happened.
9 9. Does: Conor McGregor Holding Two Titles Simultaneously
Conor McGregor, who was already the reigning UFC Featherweight Champion, decided to challenge Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez for his title at UFC 205. If he was able to defeat Alvarez, McGregor would become the first UFC fighter to hold titles in two different weight classes simultaneously.
The fight took place on November 12, 2016, in New York City, New York. When the dust settled the Irishman emerged the victor via TKO in the 2nd round of the contest. McGregor achieved his goal of becoming the reigning World Champion in two spate weight classes.
Regardless of what McGregor does (or doesn’t ) accomplish during the remainder of his career, this accomplishment alone all but ensures his eventual induction into the UFC Hall of Fame. He is without question proud of this photo which highlights the historic feat.
8 8. Doesn't: Conor McGregor Being Stripped Of The Featherweight Title
Winning two titles in separate weight classes was an impressive feat. However, holding onto to the titles proved to be an even greater challenge.
Interestingly enough, it wasn’t an opponent that took the Featherweight title from Connor McGregor, it was actually UFC President Dana White. The decision was made in order to keep the title from being held in limbo while McGregor potentially defended the lightweight strap.
The title was given back to Jose Aldo, whom McGregor originally defeated to claim the belt.
McGregor has not competed in a mixed martial arts contest since being stripped of his title.
The whole ordeal has likely very frustrating for the Dublin native who worked extremely hard in order to win both belts. Being stripped of the Featherweight title is defiantly something Conor McGregor wishes never happened.
7 7. Does: Floyd Mayweather Going 49-0
Floyd Mayweather’s undefeated professional boxing record of 49-0 is impressive, to say the least. The pugilist has been involved in 49 bouts since 1996 and has emerged victorious on every occasion thus far.
The photo above shows the boxing icon after his most recent bout against Andre Berto, with his collection of titles on full display for the world to see. Mayweather emerged the victor in that particular fight after winning a decisive 12-round unanimous decision, thus making him 49-0 as a professional.
Sports fans will likely be seeing many photos like this in the coming weeks as the promoters will want to emphasize the fact the Floyd Mayweather is chasing his 50th consecutive victory. This is yet another photo Mayweather and the promoter for his upcoming fight want fans to see.
6 6. Doesn’t: Floyd Mayweather And Ronda Rousey Feud
Floyd Mayweather and former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey have exchanged some harsh words in the past.
It all started when BoxingScene.com’s David Gershman asked for Mayweather's opinion on Rousey. He responded by stating, "Actually, I don't even know who he is."
At the ESPY awards back in 2015 when Ronda Rousey won the award for best fighter, an honor Mayweather was also considered for.
In an interview after the show, Rousey asked, “I wonder how Floyd feels being beaten by a woman for once. I'd like to see him pretend to not know who I am now." This was, of course, a not so veiled reference to Mayweather’s past issues with domestic violence. Given the fact that this feud drew attention to the boxer's troubled past, it’s fair to assume he would like people to forget about this high profile war of words.
5 5. Does: Conor McGregor Beating Chad Mendes
Conor McGregor’s UFC 189 bout against Chad Mendes for the interim Featherweight Championship was, without question, a star-making performance.
Prior to the match, MMA experts questioned how well McGregor, who is known primarily as a striker, would fair against an elite wrestler like Mendes.
Mendes predictably used his wrestling to secure a takedown early and was able to keep McGregor grounded for a significant portion of the fight.
However, the Irishman has able to scramble back to his feet late in the 2nd round. From there McGregor unleashed a barrage of punches that eventually caused the referee to stop the fight and award him the victory via TKO.
McGregor would certainly love fans to see an image of one of the most impressive victories of his career.
4 4. Doesn't: Conor McGregor Losing To Nate Diaz
McGregor's undefeated streak in the UFC came to a dramatic end when he faced Stockton, California’s own Nate Diaz at UFC 196.
McGregor was originally slated to face the then-UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael Dos Anjos for the belt. However, when Dos Anjos bowed out of the fight due to injury, Diaz stepped in as a last-minute replacement.
Diaz, who was taking the fight on short notice, wanted the fight contested at welterweight since he didn’t have time to cut weight. McGregor agreed to the conditions. The fight was fairly competitive before Diaz was eventually able to get McGregor to the canvas and secure a rear naked choke, resulting in a submission victory for the California native.
The look on McGregor’s face in this photo leaves one with the impression this isn’t a moment in his career that he wants folks to remember.
3 3. Does: Floyd Mayweather Beating Manny Pacquiao
Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao was a dream fight that boxing fans had been wanting to see for years. The two men had been the biggest names in the sport for the better part of the previous decade.
On May 2, 2015, the fight finally went down at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. While the bout did receive some criticism for not being the knockdown, drag-out brawl some casual fans expected, it did provide Mayweather with a chance to showcase the defensive style of boxing he’s famous for on his way to unanimous decision victory.
Mayweather’s victory over the Filipino legend helped settle an ongoing debate many boxing fans had been having for a year. Mayweather would love for fans to see this image, which highlights arguably the biggest victory of his career.
2 2. Doesn't: Floyd Mayweather Dissing Dana White
In the early stages of negotiations for the fight between Mayweather and McGregor, UFC President Dana White offered both men $25 million (plus pay-per-view revenue) each in order to make the fight happen.
When TMZ asked Mayweather about the offer, he told them “He’s a f–king comedian.” The boxing star went on to say “They know what my number is. My number was a guaranteed $100 million.”
One can clearly see that the two men were pretty far off in terms of each man's expectations.
Dana White and the UFC have McGregor under contract, so the Irishman needed their permission in order for the bout to be able to take place.
Now that White has agreed to let McGregor compete and Mayweather could potentially make as much as $400 million, you have to think the boxing champ might want people to forget that he once insulted the UFC President.
1 1. Does: Making The Big Fight Happen
One thing that both men certainly want fans to remember is that this highly anticipated boxer versus MMA fighter bout will be taking place on August 26th.
This will without question be the biggest fight of Conor McGregor’s career. He stands to earn enough money to walk away from combat sports for the rest of his life...if he so chooses. He also has the chance to dethrone a legend.
Mayweather has already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest boxers of all time. However, this bout provides him with the opportunity to secure his milestone 50th career victory. Moreover, the chance to earn up $400 million is also a pretty nice incentive.
Whatever the outcome, there is little doubt that fans around the world will be discussing this bout for years to come.