LONDON: As fight fans across the Gulf look forward to the scrap that everyone is talking about, Arab News gets in the ring with two Dubai coaches — one a boxer, the other from the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) — to get the lowdown.
Saturday night will either see a great battle between two fighting icons or a desperate and demeaning duel, a pantomime created for pay-per-view excess.
Whatever happens, one thing is clear: The Floyd Mayweather versus Connor McGregor bout does not allow for fence-sitting.
Former undisputed world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is just one boxer who says Saturday’s bout is a farce: “There’s tremendous build-up and hype, but I don’t really take it as a serious fight.
“I wouldn’t count a fight like this as a ‘fight.’ He’s basically boxing a guy who is a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter and not a boxer.
“No other boxers from 49 fights have figured out how to beat Mayweather. Now a UFC fighter who doesn’t even have a boxing career is trying to beat him at boxing — I think it’s a farce to a certain degree.”
The sight of boxing in the gutter is not new — think Mike Tyson biting Evander Holyfield’s ear, and any number of swear-laden, pre-fight press conferences. But this fight has, for some, dealt a right hook to a sport that was still basking in the glow of Anthony Joshua’s enthralling win over Wladimir Klitschko.
The sight of Mayweather coming out of retirement to fight an MMA fighter, a boxing novice, for a huge payday, one he does not need (Forbes estimates his net worth at $340 million), only adds to the view that as good a boxer as he is, this match-up is one both he and boxing could do without.
Is the fight a farce?
MMA fans are less inclined to call out the bout as a joke. “Boxing is a huge sport before MMA, which is catching up. I’m a huge fan of McGregor, but he’s up against a great boxer,” said coach Dante Macawile from TK MMA Fitness in Dubai.
“McGregor is an energetic fighter, whereas Mayweather is a strategic and talented defensive boxer. I think it could be good.”
But boxers seem less inclined to view it as a sporting spectacle, and more as a bit of money-making entertainment.
“I think this fight is about putting on a show,” said Nick Mwangi, trainer at Dubai’s Round 10 Gym.
“It’s basically a payday for them. It’s more about the money than it is a proper fight. People are interested in it because they’re curious about what will happen, about what the fight will look like.”
Who will win?
This being a boxing fight, with boxing rules and not the mayhem of an MMA cage, both agree that anyone expecting a shock McGregor win should think again.
“McGregor is a good MMA fighter, but he’s in a boxing ring, not an MMA cage, and he’s fighting Mayweather under boxing rules,” Mwangi said. “No boxer has beaten him before so, I can’t see McGregor doing it.”
Macawile echoed that view: “I’m a huge fan of McGregor, but he’s up against a great boxer. Mayweather will win.”
In which round?
This is where it is obvious whether you are cynical about the fight or not. Mwangi certainly is: “Mayweather will be patient then show McGregor who’s boss and who’s king of the ring in the third round.
“He’ll know a lot of people have paid money for the fight, so I think he’ll end it in the fifth or sixth.”
The MMA trainer agreed with his boxing counterpart, but not for the same reasons: “I can see this fight ending with a Mayweather win in the fifth, maybe.”
Will you watch it?
Once again the answers are the same: Of course they will, but the reasons for staying awake or getting up early (depending on whether you are a morning person or a night owl) are very different.
“There’s little doubt this is about the money. They’ll both make a lot of money through the pay-per-view sales,” Macawile said. “I’m going to get up early and watch it at home. I’ve paid for the pay-per-view.”
But for boxers, the fight is a mere sideshow to the undercard, which for them involves proper bouts.
“I’ll watch it, but I’m far more interested in the undercard than I am the Mayweather versus McGregor fight. I think that’s how a lot of boxing fans will view it. They’ll all be keen to see fights like Gervonta Davis versus Francisco Fonseca before it,” Mwangi said.
“We’re showing it at the gym, and the people who come here are going to be more keen to watch the earlier fights.
“People are curious about the Mayweather versus McGregor fight, but they’re not too fussed about it.”
Gulf fight fans reveal predictions for Mayweather vs. McGregor
Gulf fight fans reveal predictions for Mayweather vs. McGregor
Jake Paul beats 58-year-old Mike Tyson as hits failed to match the hype
- Downdetector reported that the outage primarily impacted users in major metropolitan areas, including New York, Seattle and Los Angeles
ARLINGTON, Texas: Jake Paul won a unanimous decision over Mike Tyson as the hits didn’t match the hype in a fight between a young YouTuber-turned-boxer and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Friday night.
All the hate from the pre-fight buildup was gone, with Paul even stopping to pay homage with a bow to Tyson before the final bell sounded at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
The fight wasn’t close on the judge’s cards, with one giving Paul an 80-72 edge and the other two calling it 79-73.
Tyson came after Paul immediately after the opening bell and landed a couple of quick punches but didn’t try much else the rest of the way.
Even fewer rounds and shorter rounds couldn’t do much to generate action for a 58-year-old in his first sanctioned pro fight in almost 20 years, facing a boxing neophyte with hopes of fighting for championships somewhere in the future.
Paul was more aggressive after the quickly burst from Tyson in the opening seconds, but the punching wasn’t very efficient. There were quite a few wild swings and misses.
Tyson mostly sat back and waited for Paul to come to him, with a few exceptions. It was quite the contract the co-main event, another slugfest in which Katie Taylor kept her undisputed super lightweight championship with a decision over Amanda Serrano.
It was the first sanctioned fight since 2005 for Tyson. Paul started fighting a little more than four years ago.
The fight was originally scheduled for July 20 but had to be postponed when Tyson was treated for a stomach ulcer after falling ill on a flight.
Kosovo players walk off in Romania game after ‘Serbia’ chants
Bucharest: A Nations League game between Romania and Kosovo in Bucharest was suspended on Friday in injury time after fans in the crowd shouted “Serbia!.”
The Kosovo players left the pitch after the chants, leading to the game to be paused with the score 0-0.
Animosity between Kosovo and Serbia has persisted since the war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents in the late 1990s.
Kosovo and Serbia do not play each other in UEFA and FIFA tournaments.
Football’s world governing body opened disciplinary proceedings against Serbia during the 2022 World Cup after the team hung a flag in their changing room depicting Kosovo as part of Serbia.
Kosovo joined FIFA and European confederation UEFA in 2016.
When Romania played in Pristina, they beat Kosovo 3-0.
Ronaldo shines as Portugal rout Poland to reach Nations League last-eight
PORTO, Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal staged a second-half supershow to crush Poland 5-1 and reach the Nations League quarter-finals on Friday.
Portugal join France, Germany, Italy and Spain in the last-eight while Poland’s hopes of going through from Group A1 were ended.
Having struggled to plant a shot on target in the first half, Portugal stepped on the accelerator after the break.
Rafael Leao broke the deadlock in Porto just before the hour mark after starting and finishing the move.
The AC Milan striker raced away and passed to Nuno Mendes whose cross from the left was headed powerfully past Marcin Bulka in the Portugal goal.
Thirteen minutes later, skipper Ronaldo got his name on the scoresheet, converting a penalty after Jakub Kiwior was penalized for a handball in the area.
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes made it 3-0 in the 80th minute, scoring after a clever run by Vitinha.
Pedro Neto added the fourth three minutes later after Ronaldo’s fine pass which left the Polish defense stranded.
As Polish spirits sank, Ronaldo added his second and Portugal’s fifth in the 87th minute with a spectacular overhead kick before Dominik Marczuk tucked away a consolation goal for the visitors.
Poland had enjoyed the better chances before falling behind but their potency in front of goal was blunted by the absence of record goal-scorer Robert Lewandowski who was sidelined with a back injury.
Moments before Leao’s goal, Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa pulled off a fine save to deny Marczuk having also been alert to deny Nicola Zalewski in the first half.
Portugal’s best chance in the first 45 minutes had fallen to Ronaldo who fired a close-range effort over the bar from close range.
Japanese football player Kazuyoshi Miura says he will play next season at age 58
- Miura will turn 58 in February
- He intends to play next season for his fourth-tier Japanese club, Suzuka
TOKYO: Japanese football player Kazuyoshi Miura is several generations older than his teammates. His contemporaries retired decades ago. Lionel Messi is 37, and Cristiano Ronaldo is 39 — mere youngsters compared to Miura.
Miura will turn 58 in February, and the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported this week that he intends to play next season for his fourth-tier Japanese club, Suzuka. It will be his 40th season playing in professional football.
Miura is widely listed as the oldest active professional football player.
Miura scored 55 goals in 89 appearances and was a star with Japan’s national team in the 1990s.
He has played professionally in Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia and Portugal. He made his debut in 1986 with Brazilian club Santos, a side made famous by Brazilian star Pele.
Japan beat Indonesia 4-0 to extend group lead in Asian World Cup qualifying
- Japan tops the group on 13 points with five games remaining in the round.
- Australia, Saudi Arabia and China all have 6 points, followed by Bahrain with five and Indonesia with 3
JAKARTA: Japan defeated Indonesia 4-0 on Friday to move seven points clear at the top of Group C in the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Two goals in each half mean the Samurai Blue stays on course for an eighth successive World Cup appearance.
After a bright start from the home team, the 78,000 fans at a sold-out Gelora Bung Karno Stadium were silenced after 35 minutes as Daichi Kamada broke down the left and sent a cross which defender Justin Hubner put into his own net from close range.
Takumi Minamino then scored from inside the area off Kaoru Mitoma’s pass to extend the lead five minutes before the break.
Hidemasa Motira took advantage of an errant pass from Indonesia’s goalkeeper to make it 3-0 early in the second half and Yukinari Sugawara rounded out the scoring in the 69th minute.
Japan tops the group on 13 points with five games remaining in the round. Australia, Saudi Arabia and China all have six points, followed by Bahrain with five and Indonesia with three.
The top two from each of the three groups will be guaranteed a place at the World Cup, with the third- and fourth-place teams progressing to the next stage.
