Two years ago, Floyd Mayweather Jr. looked like he would never box professionally again. He had just taken down Andre Berto in Las Vegas to retain his slate of welterweight titles and run his record to a perfect 49-0. A second retirement for the then-38-year-old seemed not only certain, but likely to last.
Then came a mouthy MMA fighter who wanted to try his hand at boxing, along with a note from the IRS demanding $22.2 million in unpaid back taxes from 2015. Now, Mayweather is back in action, looking to go 50-0 against a novice Conor McGregor.
The Showtime pay-per-view slate begins at 9 p.m. ET, with the main event set to touch off around 11:55 p.m. ET. Before Mayweather and McGregor duke it out for what could be the richest payday in boxing history, those who tune in will be treated to a trio of title fights—from cruiserweight (Andrew Tabiti vs. Steve Cunningham) to light heavyweight (Badou Jack vs. Nathan Cleverly) to junior lightweight (Gervonta Davis vs. Francisco Fonseca).
Here's a closer look at the details of each fight, with odds and moneyline coming courtesy of OddsShark.
Matchups
Floyd Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs) vs. Conor McGregor (0-0)
Gervonta Davis (18-0, 17 KOs) vs. Francisco Fonseca (19-0-1, 12 KOs)
Badou Jack (21-1-2, 12 KOs) vs. Nathan Cleverly (30-3, 16 KOs)
Andrew Tabiti (14-0, 12 KOs) vs. Steve Cunningham (29-8-1, 13 KOs)
Why Those Odds?
Need I say more about Mayweather? He's one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters of all time. McGregor, his latest foe, has never boxed professionally.
Granted, Mayweather hasn't fought in two years and, at 40, is more than a decade older than the 29-year-old McGregor. And the latter, for all his inexperience, was one of the UFC's finest stand-up strikers before he crossed over from the Octagon to the ring.
But Mayweather is an almost impossible opponent to punch for even the most seasoned pugilist, let alone a novice in Everlasts. The question isn't so much who will win, but how long it will take Mayweather to round out his record at 50-0.
Davis has a similar case to make against Fonseca, albeit one that isn't quite so easily open and shut. Fonseca has never fought in the U.S., so while his record reflects his excellence in his native Costa Rica, the leap to America could be daunting.
That's doubly true against Davis. The 22-year-old isn't just one of the brightest young stars in boxing and the best fighter in Mayweather's stable. He's also the youngest current world champion, with 17 knockouts in 18 professional fights. Look for him to add an 18th KO to his resume on Saturday.
In terms of pure boxing intrigue, the fight between Jack and Cleverly might be the best one on the docket. The 30-year-old Cleverly is younger than the 33-year-old Jack, with a slightly longer reach and loads more experience as a light heavyweight; This will be Jack's debut in that weight class.
Jack's speed and stamina, though, need not be underestimated. The same goes for his training at Mayweather Boxing Club. Don't be surprised if he comes out ahead on the judges' cards at the end.
The opening bout between Tabiti and Cunningham looks like the classic case of a young gun climbing the ranks at the expense of an old contender. The 27-year-old Tabiti will be aiming to defend his NABF cruiserweight title for a second time, with the 41-year-old Cunningham hoping to hold a belt for the first time in nearly three years. All signs point to the rising Tabiti holding onto his title.
Then again, if the favor for Mayweather over McGregor in the main event is any indication, perhaps a similar divide between young and old could work out for the more seasoned Cunningham.
view original article >>