The Mayweather/McGregor folly

Could it actually happen? Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor squaring off in a bout?

Maybe, depending on which rumor one wishes to believe. But there's a lot of things wrong with this.

McGregor says Mayweather needs him more than the other way around. That's laughable. Mayweather has somewhere around $400 million in the bank, has an undefeated record as a pro boxer (49-0), and will turn 40 years old in a matter of days. The LAST things he needs are more money, risking his unblemished record, and getting in the ring with a crazy Irishman intent on doing him serious bodily harm at his age. Over the years, he's proven all he needs to prove. Sure, he fought a lot of bums, but so did every other champion along the way. Thing is, with Rocky Marciano, they're the only two that retired undefeated. Why would he want to do this?

But, if the bout does go on, McGregor himself is likely falling into a trap. Mayweather's smart enough to pick his opponents wisely. He fights them on his terms, where and when he gets good and ready to. Remember now long he put off the inevitable confrontation with Manny Pacquiao. The Philipine had by then become a member of his country's Congress and had other duties to tend to. No way could he devote his entire energies and focus to train and prepare for a fight with Mayweather. The result was predictable.

Then again, McGregor is absolutely right on one count. Mayweather is afraid of a real fight, and well he should be. If this event occurs, it will be a boxing match, fisticuffs only, with heavy padded gloves. A REAL fight is what goes on in the Octagon. Not only fists (with much less padding), but various kicks, grappling on the mat, chokes, arm bars, and other submission holds are all allowed. Unlike the genteel sport of boxing, kidney punches and spinning back fists are just fine. Blood is ignored. Most anything goes in a true cage match -- a FIGHT -- though oddly the groin area is off limits. One can smash an opponent's windpipe, but isn't allowed to kick or otherwise strike him in the "family jewels". Killing is OK, but leave the nads alone. Go figure.

So that's exactly why, if it does happen, it won't be under mixed martial arts conditions and rules. Mayweather wouldn't last 30 seconds against McGregor in such a scenario. Floyd may train hard and still be quite quick with his fists and defensive moves, but get him on the mat where anything goes, and the dude would be serious trouble. All Conor would have to do is tackle him, easily enough done. Mayweather would either tap out or wake up in a hospital somewhere, if he survived at all.

But heavily padded fisticuffs only would give Mayweather, even at his "advanced" age, a definite advantage. He might well remain too slick for even the lightning fast McGregor to handle under such limited conditions.

In that sense, it's a dumb idea for both of them. If Mayweather did lose, especially having fought under terms he dictated, his reputation would be shattered. If McGregor lost, he'd have to hang his head in shame for having asked for such a ridiculous bout to begin with. And one of them has to lose.

Yet maybe, just maybe, it's an ego thing for both of them. Alpha males trying to prove they're the baddest boys on the planet, at least in their weight division, which Mayweather will no doubt dictate as well, and willing to do something bizarre and out of character for both of them.

It's a ridiculous premise, but ya know what?

Like so many other suckers, yours truly would likely pony up the pay-per-view bucks to watch such a spectacle as well.

P.T. Barnum was right. There's one born every minute, and obviously I'm no exception.

Bring it on.

Why not? It ain't gonna be me in there getting his brains beat out, what little is left of them......