Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather and mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor, two of the most popular athletes in their respective sports, have agreed to a crossover fight in the ring on August 26 in Las Vegas.
The fight confirmed on Wednesday is expected to gross millions of dollars, with Mayweather a solid favourite.
Mayweather, 40, retired in 2015 with an unblemished 49-0 professional boxing record while boastful Irishman McGregor, 28, is the UFC's lightweight champion.
"IT'S OFFICIAL!!!" Mayweather wrote on his Twitter account alongside a short video that included photos of both fighters.
"THE FIGHT IS ON," McGregor tweeted minutes before Mayweather's post.
The two fighters had gone back and forth for nearly a year on the showdown, each demanding $100 million (78.4 million pounds) for the fight.
Both camps declined to disclose financial details during a call with reporters but said all sides were satisfied.
"Nobody is bummed out about this deal," UFC president Dana White said.
"Everybody's happy," Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe said.
White told ESPN that the 12-round fight would take place at the T-Mobile Arena and that McGregor would weigh in at 154 pounds.
Mayweather Promotions will publicize the event, which will be available on Showtime pay-per-view.
"I talked to Conor McGregor this morning," White said. "He is absolutely, 100 percent positive that he wins this fight."
If McGregor pulls that off, it would rank among the greatest boxing upsets of all time.
Mayweather is widely regarded as one of the best defensive fighters ever, and prides himself on his ability to evade punishment with his movement and to make adjustments on the fly.
McGregor, the UFC's reigning lightweight champion and former featherweight champion, is known as much for his bravado as for his explosive knockout power inside an MMA octagon.
The Irishman became the first UFC fighter to hold two belts simultaneously when he knocked out Eddie Alvarez in New York last November for the lightweight championship.
Known for his devastating striking and highlight-reel knockouts, McGregor is also quick on his feet but few would back him to beat one of the most complete boxers of all time.
A win for Mayweather would move him ahead of former heavyweight great Rocky Marciano, who also retired with a perfect 49-0 career record.
Showtime Sports executive vice president Stephen Espinoza said the fight had the potential to appeal to an entirely new category of fans.
"We're not only drawing from the universe of boxing fans and the universe of MMA fans, we've actually tapped into the audience that doesn't follow either sport," he said.
"This is an unprecedented event."
Reuters
Thu Jun 15 2017
Britain Boxing - Gervonta Davis & Liam Walsh Press Conference - The Landmark London - 18/5/17 Floyd Mayweather speaks to media after the press conference. - Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge Livepic
AWANI Ringkas: Kebajikan kanak-kanak tidak akan terabai
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
#AWANIRingkas 19 Oktober 2024 | 9 PM
Berikut merupakan rangkuman berita setakat 9 malam, 19 Oktober 2024
1️⃣ Kebajikan kanak-kanak tidak akan terabai
2️⃣ Kestabilan, tadbir urus baik pacu ekonomi
3️⃣ Langkah tangani isu manipulasi perniagaan, barang kawalan
#awaniringkas
1️⃣ Kebajikan kanak-kanak tidak akan terabai
2️⃣ Kestabilan, tadbir urus baik pacu ekonomi
3️⃣ Langkah tangani isu manipulasi perniagaan, barang kawalan
#awaniringkas
PM Anwar tiba di Jakarta untuk majlis pelantikan Presiden
Pesawat khas yang membawa Perdana Menteri selamat mendarat di Lapangan Terbang Halim Perdanakusuma di Jakarta Timur pada 6 petang waktu tempatan.
Perkhidmatan internet terputus sepenuhnya di utara Semenanjung Gaza
Gangguan itu melibatkan kebanyakan kawasan di utara Gaza yang didahului dengan gangguan berperingkat sebelum terputus sepenuhnya.
Asap tebal selubungi New Delhi
Asap tebal dilaporkan menyelubungi ruangan udara bandar New Delhi yang mana kualiti udara menjunam ke tahap berbahaya pada Sabtu.
SPR lancar siasatan salah laku parti pemerintah, Phue Thai
Memetik laporan Bangkok Post, sehubungan itu, suruhanjaya itu telah memutuskan untuk melancarkan siasatan rasmi terhadap tuduhan salah laku berkenaan.
Operasi SAR diteruskan, kadar penglihatan rendah
Wartawan AWANI Borneo, Fadillah Sulaiman bawakan laporan terkini insiden perahu lumba karam dan tenggelam berhampiran kawasan perindustrian Bintawa.
Pengusaha sambut baik keputusan gaji minimum
Rata-rata peniaga menyambut baik pengumuman keputusan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menaikkan kadar gaji minimum daripada RM1,500 sebulan kepada RM1,700 sebulan yang akan berkuat kuasa mulai 1 Feb 2025.
[TERKINI] Mangsa mungkin dihanyutkan ke muara Sungai Sarawak
Lima mangsa yang hilang dalam tragedi perahu lumba karam di Sungai Sarawak mungkin dihanyutkan arus hingga ke muara sungai.
AWANI Borneo [19/10/2024] – Pendapatan negeri | Lan Berambeh | Detik sukar buat keluarga
Tumpuan AWANI Borneo 19 Oktober 2024 bersama Assim Hassan
- Sabah tawar peluang pelaburan dalam ekonomi biru
- Sarawak mahu jadi pembekal elektrik utama ASEAN
- Tragedi Regatta, salah seorang mangsa baru sahaja bertunang Sabtu lalu
#AWANInews
- Sabah tawar peluang pelaburan dalam ekonomi biru
- Sarawak mahu jadi pembekal elektrik utama ASEAN
- Tragedi Regatta, salah seorang mangsa baru sahaja bertunang Sabtu lalu
#AWANInews
Islam Makhachev tak tolak kemungkinan lawan McGregor
Katanya, dia bukan bercakap besar atau memperkecilkan kemampuan McGregor tetapi keyakinannya berpandukan kepada realiti sebenar.
McGregor kembali semula ke Las Vegas
Pertarungan welterweight itu akan menjadi tumpuan utama, tiga tahun selepas McGregor patah kaki kiri semasa menentang Dustin Poirier.
Topuria cabar McGregor kembali ke oktagon
Topuria, 27, dililitkan tali pinggang kejuaraan featherweight selepas mengalahkan penyandang juara, Alex Volkanovski dalam UFC 298.
Tuduhan serangan seksual terhadap McGregor digugurkan
Jurucakap pejabat pendakwa raya memberitahu agensi berita BBC, segala tuduhan terhadap McGregor telah digugurkan.
McGregor didakwa lakukan serangan seksual ke atas wanita di tandas
McGregor didakwa lakukan serangan itu di tandas Kaseya Center semasa perlawanan keempat pasukan Miami Heat dengan Denver.
NBA: Maskot Miami Heat dikejarkan ke hospital selepas terima tumbukan Conor McGregor
Persembahan antara Heat dan Denver Nugget itu berakhir dengan buruk apabila McGregor menumbuk jatuh Burnie, yang memakai sarung tangan tinju besar.
McGregor akui miliki teknik kalahkan Islam Makhachev
McGregor akui kagum dengan corak pertarungan dipamerkan Islam Makhachev di UAE, namun menegaskan dia ada tekniknya sendiri.
McGregor 'kantoi' kini berdepan enam pertuduhan
Bintang UFC Conor McGregor berdepan enam pertuduhan pada April susulan penahanannya di Dublin, Ireland 22 Mac lalu kerana didapati memandu secara berbahaya bulan lalu.
McGregor pertimbang beli Chelsea
Abramovich yang membeli juara Eropah itu pada 2003 mengesahkan pada Rabu sedang mencari pemilik baru.
UFC 264: Dianggap antagonis, patah kaki, McGregor bawa pulang ASD5 juta
Kesemua 24 petinju MMA bersaing dalam UFC 264 dan dibayar dengan sejumlah wang yang besar.