LOVE AT FIRST STRIKE

By. Homer D. Sayson

              Despite McGregor’s bluster, Money Mayweather still the wise bet

CHICAGO —  When the the Floyd Mayweather versus Conor McGregor match was announced early last June, the betting odds were pegged heavily on Mayweather, an 11-time champion who was once boxing’s pound-for-pound king.

Mayweather opened at -1100 meaning you’d have to bet $1100 on him to win $100, while a $100 bet on McGregor will reap a $700 payoff.

After a few press conferences plus a lot of viral videos and trash talking, the odds have dramatically dropped. As of yesterday, according to boxingscene.com, Mayweather’s odds as the favorite have shrunk to -550 while McGregor is now just a plus 425 underdog.

“I am the boxing guy,” McGregor told UK’s Daily Mirror while vowing to knockout Mayweather when they trade leather this August 26 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

As an MMA fighter, McGregor is as ferocious as they come, winning 21 of 24 fights with 18 KOs. He punches like a mule, kicks like a horse and can wrestle with the devil.

But the UFC octagon is a long way from the boxing ring where Floyd has looked really pretty, pun intended, since turning pro last October 11, 1996.  Money Mayweather has raided through five weight divisions and remains unbeaten in 49 fights with 26 KOs.

Because the fight is boxing, a field where he has excelled, on rules in which he is accustomed to, I picky Mayweather.

Easy.

Look, Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez, Oscar Dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton and many more great champions couldn’t beat Mayweather. And there is zero  evidence to prove that the Irish powerhouse can do otherwise.

By the same token, if this fight were on an octagon, I’d pick McGregor to win by KO in one round.

I can understand why a lot of people are betting on McGregor to score the monumental upset. The payout is just too tempting, and besides, a lot of folks have been rooting for the brash Mayweather to take a beatdown for many years now.

The fact that the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) will allow both protagonists to wear 8-ounce gloves in lieu of 10-ounce gloves will benefit Mayweather because he will be the one doing “all the hitting,” said Max Kellerman, a respected boxing analyst for ESPN and HBO.

Atop the squared jungle that is the boxing ring, Mayweather is an artist who is accurate with his punches and elusive as a first love. He will use the T-Mobile Arena as a canvas with which to paint another masterpiece.

So it goes in combat sports, there is always that one lucky strike that could seal the deal for Conor. But seeing that happen is a long shot, just like the bets placed for McGregor to win.