With discussions of a potential boxing match between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather ramping up, former Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo gave his thoughts on the bout.
During a Facebook Q&A, Aldo reminded viewers that obstacles remain in the way of the proposed bout, chief among them is McGregor’s contract with the UFC. He also added that McGregor would likely not pose much of a challenge to Mayweather given it would be McGregor’s inaugural boxing match. “First of all, we don’t know if it will happen or not,” Aldo said. “There are a lot of things involved, mainly McGregor has a contract to follow so it’s hard to happen, but if it happens, I don’t think he has a chance.”
Aldo reiterated that MMA style boxing is much different than traditional boxing, and that success in one sport, no matter the similarities, does not always transfer over to another. “Mayweather has the experience of competing for years in the sport of boxing, so I don’t see how,” he said. “Of course, it’s a fight, but it’s hard for us MMA fighters to go to a different world challenging one of the best in the history. I don’t see a result different than a win for Mayweather.”
McGregor and Mayweather have both expressed interest in the bout, but negotiations have stalled due to contractual obligations on McGregor’s side involving the UFC.
Cervantes Analysis: I’m not sure anyone believes that McGregor would pose a threat to Mayweather in a boxing match. Mayweather has competed at an elite level for decades, and for all the criticism levied against his style, he is still the most technically skilled boxer in the modern era. As far as McGregor is concerned, I think this is nothing more than an elaborate exit strategy on his part. I think his willingness to make this bout happen without the UFC is likely his way of enacting revenge for not being granted equity in the company as he requested back in September. If the bout materializes without the UFC, it’ll have been an extremely costly error on the company’s part.
FRIDAY NOTEBOOK ITEMS…
-Dana White and Floyd Mayweather were both in Houston today, but White told TMZ it’s just a coincidence. He added, regarding the talk of McGregor-Mayweather: “I think the odds of this happening are like the odds of me being the backup QB for [Tom] Brady on Sunday.”
-Renowned coach Mike Winklejohn told Submission Radio he thinks Holly Holm “broke” Ronda Rousey in their bout last year.
-Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Valentina Shevchenko said she felt Julianna Pena’s arm crack three times before Pena submitted.
-Demetrious Johnson told NESN.com that he’d be open to a super fight with Cody Garbrandt “if the money is right.”
-CageSport has announced a big regional main event set for Feb. 25 in Tacoma, Wash. Their press release issued to MMATorch states: “One of the most anticipated title fights in Pacific Northwest MMA history will take place at CageSport 44 when Justin ‘Ruckus’ Harrington and Julian ‘Juicy J’ Erosa meet in the main event for the CageSport Lightweight championship at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash., on February 25. ‘We wanted to open up our 2017 schedule with something exciting for the fans and you really can’t get anything bigger in the Northwest right now than Harrington/Erosa,’ promoter Brian Halquist said. ‘It’s a dream matchup.’ The 155-pound title fight is slated for five rounds and will headline the nine-bout card.”
-In an Instagram post, Amanda Nunes issued an apology to Ronda Rousey for the way she acted after their bout. She wrote: “Let me take a moment to explain myself. I was overwhelmed with adrenaline, emotion and hurt at the time. I held so much in during the weeks prior to my fight with Ronda. I might have said or posted some things at the time that I now realize was not the right thing to do. I want to apologize to Ronda. Her fans and mine and the UFC as well. Ronda is an amazing athlete and has done so much for this sport, especially for the women.”
NOW CHECK OUT YESTERDAY’S UPDATE: THURSDAY NEWS DIGEST 2/2: C.M. Punk says he is eager and determined fight again in UFC or otherwise (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.)
[MMATorch editor Wade Keller also contributed to this report.]
Leave a Reply