Floyd Mayweather: ‘It leans toward Conor McGregor’

Conor McGregor is going to slay Floyd Mayweather and not in the Beyoncé “I woke up like this” shit talking sense of the word. McGregor has a real chance to beat Mayweather in their highly anticipated fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Aug. 26.

At least that’s what Mayweather wants you to think.

“He’s a lot younger. When you look at myself and Conor McGregor on paper, he’s taller, has a longer reach, he’s a bigger man from top to bottom. He’s a lot younger, so youth is on his side,” Mayweather told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. “And I’ve been off a couple of years. And I’m in my 40s. So, if you look at everything on paper, it leans toward Conor McGregor.”

Floyd Mayweather

Age: 40

Height: 5-feet 8-inches

Reach: 72 inches

Last fight: Defeated Andre Berto on Sept. 12, 2015

Conor McGregor

Age: 29

Height: 5-feet 9-inches

Reach: 74 inches

Last fight: Defeated Eddie Alvarez on Nov. 12, 2016 in the octagon

Pay-per-view

If Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao generated 4.6 million buys on May 2, 2015, the upcoming bout could stand to be even more profitable. If pay-per-view buys hit 5 million, Mayweather could make more than $300 million, according to IBT.

This new humble Mayweather might affect the odds as well. Fans (and people who are just rubbernecking the drama) might be more likely to watch the fight if they think McGregor actually stands a chance against one of the greatest boxers of all time.

The betting odds for McGregor continue to improve. According to OddsShark, on Nov. 17, 2016 Mayweather was the favorite -2250 (McGregor +950) but his odds have dropped. As of Aug. 4, it’s Mayweather -550 and McGregor +375.

Then again, as IBT’s Anthony Riccobono put it: “Mayweather is right not to underestimate McGregor. Anything can happen during a boxing match, and there have been shocking upsets in the past. Buster Douglas was a 42-1 underdog when he knocked out Mike Tyson.”

Foreplay

The boxer and the UFC lightweight champ have hyped the fight with a press tour that might end up being more interesting than the actual fight. The arrogant Irishman even took shots at Mayweather’s domestic violence record by donning the jersey of NBA player C.J. Watson, who reportedly biblically knows Mayweather’s ex and mother of his three kids, Josie Harris.

Call me C.J Watson! https://t.co/9m2Omw4Wca pic.twitter.com/GZMzxxTsbb

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 11, 2017

And who can forget “dance for me, boy?”

Escalating taunts in the fighting world — taking racist or homophobic tones, while despicable — are part of the sport’s history.

“Boxing’s checkered history of capitalizing on racial and ethnic rivalries to sell bouts has taken a turn for the worse with this unprecedented megafight, with racist taunts and bigoted trash talk showcased, loudly and vividly, throughout the four-city press tour that concluded in London on July 14,” Khaled A. Beydoun of The Undefeated wrote.

Mayweather wasn’t an angel this whole time, dropping misogyny and homophobia turds at each of the press junket stops.

Let’s just hope the bad boy versus bad grandpa hype doesn’t overshadow the action on Aug. 26 like the good versus greed hype did when Mayweather and Pacquiao danced.