With all the memes and general backlash following the announcement of the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight; it would appear that boxing fans have been hit most by the news of the UFC poster boy crossing paths and stepping into the ring.
In a fight that has been coined a “circus act”, the bout is another example of the money making machine sport can deliver two athletes, as fans across the world are sucked into more commercialised events, which look set to earn both fighters $100 million each.
Regardless, for all the fights flaws, and many reasons for it not to go ahead, the tweet which won social media last weekend just about sums up all of fans on the 26th of August:
Me: Floyd vs Mcgregor is stupid and anyone who watches is stupid
Also me on Aug 26: pic.twitter.com/5pGmUdUQc4
— Martenzie Johnson (@Martenzie) June 14, 2017
However, a boxer who may not be watching the fight – yet he probably definitely will – is Gennady Golovkin.
The middleweight’s much anticipated fight with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, will see the WBA, WBC and IBF middleweight and WBO light-middleweight belts all on the line on the 16th September.
In what is a genuine boxing match-up, where reputation and recognition in the sport is actually on the line, the fight between Golovkin and Alvarez has been one of the most talked about fights of the calendar year.
With the fight being so close to the “circus act” – in terms of date – boxing fans fear it will be overshadowed; as it is set to gain far less media time and recognition in the build-up as it’s just one month after the Mayweather-McGregor bout.
However, Triple G seems to think other, as the 35-year-old made very obvious digs in the decision to have UFC face boxing:
“This [Mayweather-McGregor] is not for fighters, but business,
I think people understand what is a true fight, a boxing fight, like mine with Canelo or a big show, maybe sometimes for people a funny show, like a circus show.
Everybody knows. Conor is not a boxer, just a show. If you want to watch a show please watch them, if you want to watch a true fight, a true boxing fight and you respect boxing, watch my fight with Canelo.
This is business. Conor with Floyd is not a boxing fight because Conor is not a boxer. Money fight OK, show fight OK.”
The undefeated Kazakhstani has a very valid point, with the fight being a commercial money making machine; but the interest of two massive personalities is what grabs everyone attention.
All sports fans know the fight is only going one way, but the build-up all too often overshadows fights themselves, and the build-up between Mayweather-McGregor promises to top anything fans have seen before.
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