Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The long-awaited fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor has finally been confirmed, with the two superstars set to square off in the ring Aug. 26. Mayweather and McGregor shared the news on their respective Twitter accounts Wednesday evening, setting social media on fire.
Oddsmakers in Vegas wasted little time in releasing the opening line for the fight. For those who have been following the drama over the past few months, it should come as no surprise that Mayweather is the early—and overwhelming—favorite to win. According to the Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas, the undefeated Mayweather has been priced at 1/11 (-1100) odds, meaning bettors would have to wager $11 to return a single dollar. Bets on McGregor (7/1 or +700), who is a big underdog due to the UFC star's boxing inexperience, will return $7 for every dollar risked. The books have determined the draw to be the most unlikely outcome and set the line at 33/1 (or +3300) for that to occur.
There is still plenty of time before McGregor and Mayweather touch gloves in August, but smart bettors might want to consider getting their wager in as soon as possible. Lines have a tendency to shift drastically, especially when there is a mountain of money being placed on a specific fighter. If you are considering an early wager on this bout, it’s wise to get your money in the best spot possible. A lot can happen in the months leading up, so it would be prudent to consult an expert on the matter before diving in and trying to project a winner.
Jon Price and his team at SportsInformationTraders.com have been kind enough to share their predictions. Before getting to them, let’s preview the megafight by taking a look at the tale of the tape, plus the venue, rules, weight class and more.
Date: Saturday Aug. 26, 2017
Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Odds: Floyd Mayweather -1100, Conor McGregor +700, Draw +3300
Watch: Showtime PPV
Rules: Standard Boxing, 10-ounce gloves, 12-round fight
Weight Class: Super Welterweight (154 Pounds)
Tale of the Tape
Floyd Mayweather Name Conor McGregor Boxing Discipline MMA 49-0 (26 KO) Record 21-3 (18 KO) 40 Age 28 5’8” Height 5’9” 72” Reach 74” $1.3 billion Earnings $34 million
Prediction
The oddsmakers are obviously expecting Floyd Mayweather to dominate this fight, but anyone who has watched Conor McGregor recently has to feel he has some sort of shot to compete. The UFC star has no shortage of confidence and has backed up his bold words with even more spectacular wins. Dana White, UFC’s President, believes that McGregor will be taking it to Mayweather right away and will be looking for the KO. He recently told MMAJunkie.com:
“I’m not saying Conor McGregor’s going to win; I’m not saying Floyd Mayweather’s going to win. But I’ll tell you this, the reason Conor McGregor is as big as he is, is he will fight anybody, anytime, anywhere. He will go after Floyd Mayweather, and he will try to knock him out.”