So with my dedication to writing Fallout articles, the chance to speak on Conor McGregor and his quest to become the first major MMA star to cross over and dominate in another combat sport, *cough* Alistair Overeem *cough*, has been a bit out of reach. It’s a strange day to see a UFC champion grow to such heights to be capable of calling out another sport’s pound for pound king. Floyd Mayweather is boxing’s most polarizing figure and the man is retired. Nevertheless, Mayweather still has a target on his back. A fight with Mayweather means money in the bank for both him and his potential opponent. But Conor McGregor is no slouch in producing big bucks in a major pay-per-view event. Both Mayweather and McGregor hold something special that makes even the most casual of combat fans want to tune into one of their fights.
Size Difference
The first thing to consider, with this hypothetical fight which most likely won’t happen, is the fact that Conor McGregor is a much larger man compared to Floyd Mayweather. Why that won’t make a difference is purely the realm in which they’ll be having this contest. Mayweather has faced bigger fighters and fighters who are just as fast as McGregor. The size disadvantage may not play too much of a factor in the match, but if McGregor chooses to get the fight into the clinch, things could get interesting.
Embrace The Style Clash
Something else to consider is the differences in their styles. Yes, McGregor started training primarily in boxing in the beginning of his career. Over time he’s become a more complete fighter who implements traditional martial arts into his style. That alone makes him an interesting puzzle for Mayweather to solve. Mayweather has fought against many different styles of BOXING. What he hasn’t faced off against is a person who uses different movement, different distancing, and different timing more comparable to traditional martial arts.
Let’s face it, Conor McGregor’s chances of beating Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match is slim. But the approach he takes for the match would paramount. Conor McGregor would have to look at this match up differently than a boxing match. If he was smart he’d look at things not as a war of punches but a war of styles. The old adage styles make fights always rings true in any combat sport. McGregor is obviously going to have to train his boxing, but he shouldn’t abandon his traditional martial arts training either. If he wants to contend with Mayweather then he’s going to have to offer a different look. While his chances would still be slim at least it would offer up a strategy that could cause some complications. After all, stranger things have happened.
What the hell could Conor McGregor offer Floyd Mayweather?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
