So, Dana White says the McGregor side of negotiations for a Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather fight is completed.
That’s sort of like saying one side of an egg you’re frying over-hard on the sidewalk is done, but the sun is going down. There’s a good chance that other side isn’t going to get finished.
Either way, you get left with a hot mess, and one that no one wants to consume.
Or so they say.
When it comes to fights involving big names, it’s all about the hype, not the product. It’s that way at every level, even when we were kids. How many of those after-school “fights” really lived up to the anticipation that built up during the day after so-and-so called out so-and-so for smiling at his girlfriend?
People say they don’t care, and maybe they won’t get fooled again.
If a deal is struck though, I’ll gladly go to a friend’s pay-per-view party. Even if the fight is junk, the potluck will be great and the post-bout karaoke can be fun, like it was after Mayweather-Pacquiao.
So, is this going to happen? And who wins?
“Ye$ they will fight,” texted sports fan Gerald de Heer, a consultant and former state legislator. “Mayweather will win easily, probably by TKO. McGregor is an awesome athlete and a great champion, in MMA. His skill set is not suited for championship level boxing, particularly against a skilled tactician like Mayweather. It’s really up to Mayweather to make this an entertaining exhibition.”
It’ll be a “typical Mayweather fight,” says actor Rick Agan. “Engage and move. Strike, counter, circle. Nobody even bleeds. Fans get suckered out of PPV money in the worst farce ever.”
Sounds about right … except we’d better be careful with “worst farce ever.” There’s lots of strong competition for that title.
Of course Mayweather wins if it’s just boxing and not mixed martial arts, which is where McGregor is the UFC lightweight champion.
To make it fair, they should alternate rounds of strict boxing and MMA rules — like my poker buddies who know I suck at Omaha but make me play it when it’s their turn to pick on dealer’s choice night.
When it comes to fighting, the rules usually determine the winner in these interdisciplinary matchups. The one that comes to mind first for me had hybrid rules and no winner — Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki, in 1976. The American world boxing champ threw just six punches the entire 15 rounds, and the Japanese wrestler spent most of the time on the ground kicking at Ali.
Nearly three decades later, a behemoth Korean wrestler took on a sumo champ from Waimanalo. I was running around the mainland covering Michelle Wie in July, 2005. But Kevin Takamori remembers watching Hong-man Choi wrestle against Akebono (Chad Rowan) at Aloha Stadium.
“Akebono (6-feet-8, 500 lbs) looked like a little kid next to Hong-man (who is listed at 7-2 and between 310 and 360 pounds). Both guys looked like they were moving in slow motion. After his victory, Hong-man leaned over the ropes and started calling out Mike Tyson, who was seated at ringside.”
Jerry Campany of our sports staff reminded me that 7-foot-7 stringbean basketball player Manute Bol once fought legendary defensive tackle/fullback Refrigerator Perry, who was a couple of chicken wings shy of a quarter ton at the weigh-in. Bol decisioned Perry in the three-round boxing match, even without use of the spear with which he had killed a lion in his native Sudan.
If you really want to be entertained, do an online video search of the words “Shaquille O’Neal” and “boxing.” It’s a treasure trove. I especially enjoyed his five-rounder against Oscar De La Hoya, with an excellent cameo by Bernard Hopkins.
When actors fight actors, it’s never pretty. This one was especially ugly, and it’s fitting that a teacher, Keone Kuniyoshi, reminds us that Screech got into the ring with Horshack in a battle of guys who played dorks in high school sitcoms.
Let’s just say the overmatched Horshack was not “Saved By The Bell.” Seems Dustin Diamond, who played Screech in that show, was too young and too strong for Ron Palillo of “Welcome Back, Kotter” fame. Plus, Diamond is a real life bad guy who has done prison time.
Some of the best fights are unscheduled.
A year ago this week, Rougned Odor of the Texas Rangers clocked Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays with the best punch I’ve seen thrown by a non-combat-sport athlete. But depending on how you feel about the concept of the false crack, you might consider it a cheap-shot, sucker punch.
There’s plenty more out there. Johnny Knoxville and Butterbean in a department store. Danny from the Partridge Family against all kinds of people. Kimbo Slice, who turned the street fight into an art form.
Regardless of the moral aspects, people love even the idea of watching other people fight.
And if the other half of McGregor-Mayweather gets done, they’ll pay for it.
“I just want to see one of them get cracks,” said realtor Sean Bulseco. “I don’t care which one.”
Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.