Khabib Nurmagomedov believes there's a lot more riding on Conor McGregor vs Floyd Mayweather than there actually is.
There is a reason why the oddsmakers will make Mayweather a heavy favourite for this yet-to-be-booked crossover megafight - he would be expected to win handily.
Mayweather has never tasted defeat inside the ring as a professional. Before retiring, the prize pugilist racked up an impressive 49-0 record, with most of those wins coming against the world's elite. Meanwhile, McGregor has never even had a professional bout inside the ring.
The real x-factor that makes this fight interesting is the fact that McGregor is coming over from an entirely different sport. Not only that, but he is one of the great innovators in his field and has spent his career developing a style that completely blows away the old school and also keeps him ahead of the new breed.
Considering his proficiency in finding hacks to get his hand raised, who's to say he hasn't found some way of negating Mayweather's seemingly impenetrable defence? Very few people gave Cody Garbrandt a hope in hell of beating Dominick Cruz, and we all know how that turned out.
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McGregor's unorthodox and that patented Celtic cross can render anyone unconscious. It's not just these two superstars' personas that will bring eyes, but combat sports nerds can appreciate the unique challenge both fighters face.
That seems to be why Khabib Nurmagomedov is a fan of the fight, as he told
MMANews.info. He's no fool, though. He's aware of the real reason why they're pushing to get this one booked.
“As a fan, it is a very interesting fight. I understand perfectly why it is carried out. It is guaranteed to bring the organizers a lot of money. Such an event the world of martial arts is not yet known.”
However, 'The Eagle' believes that a McGregor loss could have dire consequences on the sport of MMA. He feels that Mayweather getting his hand raised could undo all the good work that saw the sport explode into the mainstream over the last few years.
“But in truth, for MMA it is a very dangerous fight. We're close to boxing in terms of popularity ratings. And if the most-promoted fighter the UFC such as McGregor is defeated by a 40-year-old boxer, it would be a blow to the reputation of MMA. But the money apparently outweighs any risks.”
Would that really be the case though? Everyone is aware that 'the Notorious' is not a boxer. As we've said before, he is expected to lose. Wouldn't a loss just prove how tough of a challenge this is rather than completely ruin the growth of the sport?
You wouldn't expect the world's best heptathlete to jump farther than the long jump world champion, but knowing that doesn't ruin the reputation of the heptathlon.
