Floyd Mayweather v Conor McGregor: When is it, how to watch, why is it happening? Date and odds

Let's get down to the nitty-gritty straight away, after the bout that fight fans had been waiting for was finally, finally confirmed.

The fight will take place on August 26 and has now been confirmed by both parties, after months and months of speculation.

The pair will fight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

This was reportedly one of the early sticking points of discussion but the southpaw McGregor has agreed that this will be a boxing match, with a boxing undercard to be organised by Mayweather promotions.

The pair will fight at the boxing junior middleweight weight limit of 154 pounds and the fighters will use 10-ounce gloves, heavier than anything McGregor has fought with in MMA.

It probably won’t come cheap. The fight has already been compared to Mayweather’s infamous bout with Manny Pacquiao in 2015 and one of the standout memories of that fight was how the average boxing fan was horrendously priced out of the fight by outrageous ticket prices and pay-per-view options.

The main broadcaster will of course be Showtime PPV given that Showtime organise Mayweather’s fights.

If you’re in the UK it’s likely, but at the time of writing unconfirmed, that Sky Sports will show the fight. BT Sport show McGregor in UFC but this is a boxing match so it is highly likely it will be shown on Sky especially given their relationship with Showtime.

If you live outside the UK you’re going to have to check your local broadcasters closer to the time.

The most obvious example that springs to mind is when Muhammad Ali travelled to Japan in 1976 to take on professional wrestler Antonio Inoki.

Unlike the Mayweather-McGregor fight this bout was fought under a set of special rules. Over the years these rules have been re-told by both sides to the extent that it’s now more or less unclear what they were.

The fight itself was a complete farce and ended in a 15-round draw.

Yes.

Ah you wanted more? So Mayweather is 49-0 in his professional boxing career whilst McGregor hasn’t boxed at all, as an amateur or a professional.

Of course McGregor is arguably the best MMA fighter of all time and he is undeniably talented; his left hook is a dangerous weapon but it isn’t that simple.

McGregor isn’t just fighting any old boxer, he’s fighting Floyd Mayweathr Jr. The greatest pound-for-pound boxer over the last 20-30 years and one of the greatest of all-time.

Mayweather is a supreme defender and he’s fought better boxers with similar weapons to McGregor. The only thing the Irishman has going for him is that it’s been two years since Mayweather last boxed and he is now 40 years of age.

$$$

Would you put your body on the line for $100 million? That’s effectively what McGregor is doing. The figures for the fight have not been released, and won’t be unless they leak, but it is reported McGregor could earn around that figure, although the UFC will take a portion of it given they had to agree to this fight.

As for Mayweather he could stand to bring home something similar to the $250 million he earned for beating Pacquiao. The fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao grossed at over $600 million. Early estimates have suggested that this fight could gross to over $500 million but don’t underestimate the global appeal of McGregor; there really are no limits on this fight.

As well as the money this is a chance for Mayweather to beat Rocky Marciano’s record and move to 50-0, something he has always wanted.

However it’s not just about money or even pride, this speaks to a wider theme within society. For whatever reason boxing simply isn’t as good as it once was. The heavyweight division is dominated by a still raw Anthony Joshua with his closest rivals being an ageing Wladimir Klitschko and an over-weight, morally questionable Tyson Fury with the untested Deontay Wilder in the wings.

The lighter weights have obvious talent in the shape of Gennady Golovkin, Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward but these weights don’t carry the same global appeal.

At the very top of boxing we simply don’t have these epic fights any more. Joshua v Klitschko was hugely enjoyable and a great spectacle but it doesn’t deserve a place in any list of great fights and it almost feels as if the public don’t necessarily want that sort of fight, where you have two men at their peak going at it.

Give them the hype and spectacle of something like this. The sharp silver-tongue of McGregor against the incredible PR machine of Mayweather. Both men have a unique gift of making themselves irresistible to the public, whether they like them or loathe them. Mayweather will permanently retire after this and McGregor will take over his mantle as the combat man who can talk his way out or into anything.

Mayweather is going to beat McGregor. Badly.

The bookies reflect our prediction above. Mayweather is 1/16 in some places, with McGregor priced at 6/1. That's what's known as a one-horse race.