The rumors are gathering pace. Dare we say it? Floyd Mayweather might actually be fighting in an MMA Cage. Under MMA rules. Against an MMA Fighter. He’s been linked to a rematch with Conor McGregor, but this time on the Irishman’s turf. Mayweather himself seems to be doing his best to encourage them.
Things took another twist the other day when Joe Rogan addressed the possibility of Mayweather fighting in the UFC on his MMA podcast. Rogan completely dismissed the American’s chances against McGregor, saying whatever odds a betting company gives you, they aren’t high enough.
However, he raised an exciting alternative. Phil Brooks, or CM Punk as we all know him, has been vocal about his desire to fight for the second time in the UFC. Of course, the first time didn’t go too well when he was soundly battered by Mickey Gall. However, he has the name factor and lack of MMA experience to make it a potentially competitive fight if he were to fight Mayweather.
Odds in Punk’s Favour
Since Rogan got all excited about a potential fight between the two men, betting companies have jumped on board. CM Punk is without a doubt the bookies choice. Bet DSI.com have him as their -300 favorite. Mayweather comes in at -220. That’s a significant difference. A $100 bet on Mayweather would earn you $220 if he won.
Mayweather’s boxing record of 50-0 might cause people to think that the bookies are off on this one. However, CM Punk is a much taller and heavier man, which is probably the main barrier to this ever happening. He also has MMA experience, having trained for longer, and has many years of experience as a professional wrestler.
“If they fought in UFC, Punk would probably destroy him,” a Bet DSI representative told media. “Punk’s size will come into play, and he’s been grappling with high-level guys for some time now. He’ll get the fight to the floor and finish Floyd. Punk via ground.”
Unusual for Mayweather
One wild fact is that Mayweather has not been a betting underdog in his last 18 fights. This just goes to show how consistently brilliant he was as a professional boxer, before officially retiring after his fight last year against McGregor.
It’s certainly not a given that Punk would beat Mayweather either. For all his wrestling experience, he was dominated by Mickey Gall on the ground. Maybe Mayweather is a secret BJJ black belt in his spare time and just been hiding it up until now. Unlikely, but then again this whole scenario is crazy.
Khan Says No
Former British boxing champion Amir Khan gave his take on Mayweather fighting under MMA rules. Basically, he wasn’t having it.
“I don’t think they [Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao] will ever step in the cage. MMA is a very difficult sport, you need to have a lot of strength and takedowns and I just don’t think a boxer is just gonna have all the tools to fight someone in an MMA cage, it’s gonna be really difficult.
As a world-class boxer in his own right, Khan is better placed than most of us to discuss the limitations of fighters who specialize in a single discipline. However, money talks at the end of the day. If the numbers are right and the stars align in this crazy world then it just might happen.
