Mon 03/07/2017 - 18:36 EDT

McGregor vs. Mayweather: Round by round betting

McGregor vs. Mayweather: Round by round betting

The MMA and boxing worlds collide when Floyd Mayweather meets Conor McGregor. We break down one of the most-hyped bouts of all time and predict who wins and in which round.

Big bout bets by round

Let's be blunt, the Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather superfight on August 26 is less of a matter of who will win, and more of matter of how and when will Mayweather prevail?

Outcome odds

You can try to convince yourself all you want that McGregor stands a chance. He is, after all, at his peak and 11 years younger than Mayweather. McGregor has spent the last two years dominating the UFC, while Mayweather has enjoyed a retirement away from the ring. And yes, McGregor is slightly bigger than Mayweather and even has a two-inch reach advantage. But none of that makes up for McGregor's lack of experience inside the squared circle.

Say what you want about Mayweather, but there's no questioning his boxing mastery. While he's loud and brash outside the ring, inside he's calm and surgical. His perfect 49-0 mark proves it.

With no fight experience, there's no telling what McGregor's strategy will be. But you have to think he'll be banking on one knockout punch to pull off the all-time biggest historical upset. In the world of UFC, he's done just that. Eighteen of his 21 wins have come by knockout — none more notable than his 13-second victory over Jose Aldo, who went undefeated nearly 10 years before the knockout.

But that won't come nearly as easy against Mayweather, who is one of the best defensive boxers to ever lace up the gloves. Mayweather has been knocked down just once — against Carlos Hernandez in 2001, which wasn't even a real knockout blow (Mayweather was having glove issues and took a knee on the floor).

Plus, in an MMA bout, the threat of throwing kicks helps McGregor land those crushing blows. That won't be the case here. Mayweather can defend himself without the worry of kicks or be taken down to the floor.

Worse for McGregor, that one-punch strategy plays right into Mayweather's trap. He's made a career out of ducking and dodging punches — effectively frustrating or wearing out his opponent — then winning on pure points alone. Call Mayweather's style "boring" all you want, but he'll keep himself out of danger at all costs, then exploit his flustered adversary.

McGregor's best hope is to trash-talk his way into Mayweather's head, forcing him into an exchange — but Mayweather's perfected that strategy in his own right.

Just recently both fighters posted videos on social media of themselves training for the upcoming bout with a punching bag. The speed difference is night and day with Mayweather clearly the quicker.

All things considered, wagering on McGregor is a pure prayer bet. At +425 , there's value in betting his way. After all, anything can happen in boxing. However, in all likelihood, Mayweather will cruise to victory. But that begs the question, will this fight go the distance or will Mayweather record the knockout victory?  

We're inclined to say no toward the latter.

Mayweather is skilled in many areas, but power certainly isn't one of them. He has never been equipped with superhero power. And whatever power he had will be diminished now that he's 40 years old. Only 26 of Mayweather's 49 victories have come by knockout. Just one of those has come in his previous 10 bouts — the lone outlier being a cheap knockout over an unguarded Victor Ortiz.   

McGregor's novice in-ring ability will likely leave him vulnerable to knockout multiple times. However, Mayweather will stick to the script — dance around, land a flurry of jabs and fight completely risk-free — like he always has.  Come August 26, expect more of a spectacle than an actual fight. It's going to take the biggest upset in sports history for McGregor to win. Mayweather won't even break a sweat.   

Method of victory: Mayweather by decision

Category : News

More articles...
News - 02/07/25
Oleksandr Usyk is a Huge Favorite Over Daniel Dubois for Their Rematch 

Who: Daniel Dubois vs. Oleksandr Usyk Where: Wembley Stadium in London, England When: Saturday, July 19 at 3pm ET How to watch: DAZN Remember how exciting the matchup between Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk was back in 2023? It was a heavyweight showdown that people loved to witness and now another exciting showdown is on […]

News - 12/06/25
Florida is Now the Overwhelming Favorite to Win the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals 

What: 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Finals Who: Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers When: Game 4 is Thursday, June 12 at 8 p.m. ET Where: Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida How to watch: TNT and Max It's funny how things can change in the span of a week or so. Before the final series of […]

News - 04/06/25
Belmont Stakes 2025: Baeza is in line for classic glory 

The third and final leg of the Triple Crown happens Saturday, June 7: the Belmont Stakes. Like last year, it will be a little different than the traditional Belmont: it will be run at 1 ΒΌ miles at Saratoga Race Course, since Belmont Park is still under construction. The race offers a $2 million purse, […]

News - 02/06/25
Oklahoma City is a Big Favorite to Win the 2025 NBA Finals Over Indiana 

What: 2025 NBA Finals Who: Oklahoma City vs. Indiana Pacers When: Game 1 is set for June 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma How to watch: ABC After a thrilling postseason leading up to this stage, only two teams are left in the hunt to take home the Larry […]