Chael Sonnen weighed in on the potential fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor this week on his podcast “You’re Welcome.”
The former UFC title challenger said that if McGregor were to last longer than a mere 30 seconds it would embarrass the sport of boxing. “I think the fact that anybody is weighing in that there’s a contest there is such an incredible disrespect to boxing,” he said. “If that fight goes more than 30 seconds, it shames boxing. If it goes out of the first round, it humiliates boxing.”
Sonnen added that this type of match would be unheard of in any other sport under normal conditions. “If I was to tell you in any other sport, ‘Hey, we’ve got a great athlete from one field, that’s never done a sport before, and he’s gonna come on and take on the best current living guy in that sport,’ it’d be laughed at. If I told you, ‘I’ve got a guy who’s never played basketball, sure he’s shot the ball around and been on a court and had the ball in his hand, but he’s never played a competitive game of basketball before, and we’re gonna put him up against LeBron James, it would be laughed at. ‘We’ve got a gal that’s never played tennis before, she’s fooled around with a ball in the gym, she’s gonna take on Serena Williams,’ it would be laughed at.”
After his podcast ended, Sonnen tweeted out that Mayweather and McGregor had been confirmed, but neither McGregor nor Mayweather have confirmed that. Nor has Dana White.
Connor vs Floyd is ON!
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) March 17, 2017
Cervantes Analysis: Sonnen’s argument would make more sense if McGregor had ZERO experience in boxing, but he’s a phenomenal striker who has trained in boxing for his sport. He’s just not as technically sound or experienced as Mayweather. I think the fight would last longer than 30 seconds, but I don’t think it would be all that competitive, as I have said numerous times. Mayweather is one of the greatest boxers ever, and has competed at an elite level for decades. McGregor, although good, will never be on the same level and has never fought anyone like Mayweather. Though I’d be intrigued by the potential fight, I’m not crazy enough to believe McGregor could pull off the upset.
FRIDAY NOTEBOOK ITEMS…
-According to MMA Fighting, Hacran Dias is considering a return to lightweight.
-Speaking on Submission Radio, Chris Weidman said that the impending fight between GSP and Michael Bisping is holding up the Middleweight Division.
-Also speaking with Submission Radio, Stephen Thompson said he and the fans believe he could beat Tyron Woodley were they to fight a third time.
NOW CHECK OUT YESTERDAY’S UPDATE: THURSDAY NEWS DIGEST 3/16: Matt Hughes is considering a return to MMA, comments on possibility (w/Hiscoe’s Analysis)
(Jonathan Cervantes has been an avid fan of MMA since 2009 when he saw GSP vs. B.J. Penn 2. He has practiced tae kwon do, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling in the past and is currently a student majoring in entrepreneurship at the University of San Francisco. He writes the MMATorch News Digest on Fridays and Saturdays. Michael Hiscoe writes MMATorch News Digests Sunday through Thursday each week.)
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