Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor opened some eyes and offered some interesting storylines.
It was touted as the biggest fight in combat sports history and for the most part it didn’t disappoint. As a diehard MMA fan and martial artist, I was certainly pulling for Conor McGregor in this bout and he acquitted himself well against a true boxing master in Floyd Mayweather. While there were some awkward attacks by McGregor, ultimately he showcased how karate movements can be very effective when blended with boxing. So what were the big takeaways from this epic match? Let’s dive in shall we.
Karate Works In Boxing
Being the resident karate nerd that I am, the very first thing that stuck out to me in this bout was the fact that Conor McGregor was utilizing a traditional martial arts stance throughout the fight. While this was a boxing match, McGregor understood well that he needed to have a hybrid approach to this bout in order to be competitive. McGregor checked the front hand repeatedly in this fight in order to gauge Mayweather’s distance as well as disrupt his timing. It’s a classic technique not only in boxing but in karate as well.
Couple that with instances of other hand fighting techniques, like peeling away Mayweather’s right hand guard in order to loop in punches from strange angles, McGregor really did fight like a martial artist more than a boxer.
He also sported the karate bounce that can throw an opponents timing off. The bounce masks movement and can allow a fighter to explode forward with unexpected speed.
Undoubtedly the highlight for McGregor during this match were the several punches he landed, mostly to the body. But the counter uppercut he landed is one that got the crowds, as well as Mayweather’s, full attention.
Clinches
McGregor also managed to translate his clinching game during the latter portion of the match when he started to get fatigued. He wrestled in for double underhooks a number of times. It makes you think that if he done so a bit sooner he perhaps could have used those opportunities to get his breath back for the rest of the fight. He threw combinations to the body and head then dug in for an over under clinch.
Mayweather’s Genius
Mayweather’s tactical approach to the bout and experience was the differences in this match. Early on while he may have been giving away rounds, Mayweather made a concerted effort to attack McGregor’s body with straight right hands.
Once Mayweather got comfortable he began to march forward throwing right hand leads followed up by left hooks. Even his pull counter made an appearance.
There were even some occasions when he’d throw multiple straight punches as he pushed forward and applied even more pressure on McGregor to eventually score the finish.
When it was all said and done, Mayweather proved again why he’s the undisputed king of boxing. Switching from being defensive to potshotting to all out aggressor. It goes to show you that the man has many tools inside the boxing ring. Now if only we could see him in a MMA match….
Anyhow, both men ended up taking a win in this match up. Mayweather broke the record of 50 wins with no losses while McGregor acquitted himself well against one of the greatest to ever step inside a boxing ring. McGregor star will rise and the experience, particularly his new found jab, will serve him well when he gets back inside the Octagon.
What were you favorite moments of the fight?
Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
