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Conor McGregor takes on Floyd Mayweather in a fight that some quarters dismiss as a circus, some glorify as the fight of the decade/century/millennium and some others adopt a more measured, cautious approach towards.
Whichever category you belong to, you can't deny that it's gained massive media attention and captured the imagination of the fans the world over.
You also can't deny that regardless of how you perceive it competitively, as an event, it's probably the biggest sporting spectacle involving just two men that you're likely to ever see.
Why do I say so?
Continue reading to find out.
#1 Numbers
Just in terms of sheer numbers, comprising pay-per-view buy rate, digital viewership numbers, social media traction and other recordable data, the MayMac fight easily promises to be the single biggest extravaganza of our lifetimes.
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Perhaps because Mayweather-Pacquiao was such a let down in terms of the in-ring end product, people may still be a little wary about getting hooked onto another super fight involving Floyd Mayweather...but there is no reason to believe that their intrigue at how a fighter with professional boxing record of 0-0 will match up against one with 49-0 won't shatter that indecision as the fight approaches.
Indeed, the statistics thrown around by the Showtime and the UFC officials involved in making the fight seem to suggest so as well.
#2 Personalities involved
There are no bigger personalities in the combat sports world today than Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather.
MMA has other stars like Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones and boxing boasts of Anthony Joshua and Manny Pacquiao, but no other athlete can hold a candle to either McGregor or Mayweather in terms of global appeal in their respective sports.
McGregor's meteoric rise is only mirrored by the growth of MMA and Mayweather has been the undisputed king of boxing ever since the Oscar de la Hoya fight.
And when they come together to pit brains and brawn, it is a once in a lifetime event that cannot be paralleled by any two other combat sports athletes.
#3 Mainstream involvement
Generally, mainstream involvement in sports is only catalysed by events that puncture through the bubble of fandom and also affect the casual fans.
Make no mistake about it, MayMac has done all that and more.
The media coverage for this fight has been incredibly extensive, with everyone from boxing and MMA analysts to uninitiated talk show hosts weighing in on it.
One look at the media row set up in Las Vegas at the TMobile Arena only confirms that notion.
#4 Money
Just in terms of what the fighters will earn, possibly augmented by the insane PPV sales, sponsorships and TV viewership rights, this fight is a mini bank in itself.
With the completion of this fight, Floyd 'Money' Mayweather will chalk his career earnings above the mind-boggling $1 billion mark.
Let that sink in.
And although Conor McGregor's net earnings aren't even in the same ballpark as Floyd, the crisp paycheck he will make off this fight, north of $100 million, will still be his biggest single payday.
A lot of people have accused this fight of being nothing more than a money-spinner. And perhaps that's true. But why on earth should that mean that it isn't going to be an intriguing content anyway?
#5 The fallout
If Floyd Mayweather beats Conor McGregor on August 26th, everything goes back to normal the next day.
A supreme boxer beats an MMA fighter at boxing. There's nothing even remotely surprising in that.
But if Conor McGregor knocks Floyd Mayweather out...somehow...somehow...the sports world as we know it turns upside down.
And no single sport will feel the heat like boxing will. The legendary art of pugilism has been under the scanner due to the incessant corruption, lack of super fights and the rise of MMA of late. But it's tradition and allure still endures.
A win for Conor McGregor, however, may permanently readdress that balance.
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