Sports
IN this week’s Fight Talk we look at Conor McGregor’s comments that a rematch with Floyd Mayweather is “inevitable”, Eddie Hearn’s plans to stage fights in his back garden, Tyson Fury saying he won’t offer Deontay Wilder step-aside money and videos of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield as they begin training for their respective comebacks.
‘I will beat Floyd in inevitable rematch’
Floyd Mayweather v Conor McGregor II – is it a fight we want to see? Will it actually happen?
Well, Ireland’s McGregor seems to think so.
After receiving some praise from former world champion Mike Tyson for his boxing skills, the UFC star tweeted that a rematch with Mayweather is “inevitable”, and this time there will be a different outcome…
The first fight in 2017 was the most anticipated, and high profile, boxing debut of all time as McGregor swapped the octagon for a ring to take on pound-for-pound great Mayweather.
McGregor lost by a 10th round stoppage in Las Vegas in what was one of the richest bouts in boxing history.
It was Mayweather’s last outing in professional boxing. He recently said that he won’t be returning to the sport, although still kept the door open for a McGregor rematch, describing it as “entertainment and business” rather than boxing.
But does McGregor really stand even the slightest of chances in the rematch? This chap liked what he saw in the first fight…
But most fans think Mayweather was just playing with McGregor and will do the same again…
Whether the rematch is ‘inevitable’ or not can be debated. But both fighters are superstars in their own right. They know how to put on a show and would welcome another monstrous payday.
And even if hardcore boxing fans have no appetite for it, many will probably still tune in.
Boxing fans welcome Hearn’s garden party
It seems promoter Eddie Hearn has taken the phrase “I’d fight him in his own back yard” quite literally after announcing plans to host fight nights in the garden of Matchroom Boxing Headquarters.
When the concept of ‘behind-closed-doors’ boxing was first mooted, questions were raised as to how the atmosphere and energy can be replicated without a crowd.
But in recent weeks Hearn promised that he would do something bigger and better than putting on fights in a closed-off television studio. And his extravagant and novel plans have gone down well…
Ask any British boxing fan which fight is top of their wish list and you’ll probably get the same answer: Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua.
It would be the biggest bout in British boxing history; two world heavyweight champions fighting for all of the belts.
While Joshua has a fight with Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev next, who is mandatory for the IBF title, WBC champion Fury will need to get through his trilogy clash with American Deontay Wilder.
There has been talk that Pulev and Wilder could take a fee to step aside and let Fury and Joshua get it on.
The Athletic reported that Wilder would consider accepting $10m (£8.3m).
But Fury has other ideas.
In an Instagram live with TV personality Mark Wright, he said: “I’m not paying him no money to step aside, I’d rather take his scalp again. I wouldn’t pay him $2m, I’d rather batter him in the ring.”
Tyson and Holyfield: ‘They’re back’
Mike Tyson’s rumoured comeback, at the age of 53, for charity exhibition fights got the whole boxing world talking.
And then Tyson’s former opponent Evander Holyfield, 57, also announced his comeback.
Well this week both hall-of-famers gave us a peak into their training…
Tyson famously bit off a chunk of Holyfield’s ear and was disqualified when they fought in 1997, in what became an iconic moment in boxing history.
Well someone out there, perhaps bored in lockdown, decided to mock up this image…
But Holyfield’s ear(s) pricked up as he took the meme in good jest and responded with this…
BBCSport
– May 18, 2020 @ 10:40 GMT /
Tags: Eddie Hearn Fight Talk: Conor McGregor Floyd Mayweather Tyson Fury
