It’s finally official. Undefeated (and previously retired) boxing great Floyd Mayweather will fight UFC lightweight champion (and former featherweight champ) Conor McGregor later this summer is what is easily the biggest boxing/mixed martial arts cross-over in the history of either sport.
McGregor and Mayweather are two of the most colorful athletes in combat sports. They are both known for talking massive amounts of trash before a fight, and then backing it up with incredible skills in the ring. In McGregor’s case, he’s one of the hardest-hitting lightweights in the UFC, with excellent head movement and footwork. Mayweather, on the other hand, is a patient counter-puncher who is often content to sit back and wait for his opponent to make a mistake.
As we get ready for the latest bout to be branded “The Fight of the Century,” here are all the details you need to know about this massive sporting event. If you’re a huge fight fan, you may already know most of these things. If you’re a casual fan who’s willing to climb aboard the hype train, then this will probably be useful.
The Basics
The fight is happening on August 26 in Las Vegas, but the location is yet to be decided. Although the new T-Mobile Arena is bigger, Mayweather Promotions has a long standing deal with the MGM Grand for his events (it’s the same arena that Mayweather fought Manny Pacquiao in 2015). The Nevada State Athletic Commission approved a request from Mayweather Promotions to hold a boxing card at the MGM Grand on August 26, but UFC president Dana White said the fight will likely go down at the T-Mobile Arena.
The new arena, which has already hosted a handful of major UFC events (and will be the home of the expansion Las Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL this Fall), can cram it roughly two or three thousand more fans. Right now, it sounds like the fight will happen there and not at MGM Grand.
(AP Photo/John Locher)