Sports are big business these days. There's so much at stake for each team and individual - not just glory and a shot at the record books, but billions upon billions of dollars. What this means is that people will do anything to win. From doping to match-fixing, we've seen everything tried, and many attempts exposed, in the quest for a huge purse. But the massive boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor was above all that. Or was it?
Stunning Allegations
It didn't take long for scandal to follow the incredible bout between these two super-welterweights. In fact, it was only a couple of hours afterwards when Mayweather's ex-girlfriend suggested something truly shocking. According to her, Mayweather didn't win on skill alone. McGregor had actually thrown the fight in his favor...
No-one had seen such a build-up to a fight in decades. Surrounded by trash talk and big money, this was the fight that would define boxing. Millions tuned in to watch, and ringside seats went for more than a hundred thousand a pop. With the biggest purse ever seen in a bout, they were calling this "The Money Fight". And it didn't disappoint...
The Undefeated Champion
This was the fight that would bring one of history's greatest boxers out of retirement. Floyd Mayweather had never lost a match in his life. His 49-0 streak was equaled only by the legendary Rocky Marciano, and the only reason Mayweather hadn't passed it was out of respect. He wasn't going to step into the ring again. At least, not until Conor McGregor came calling.
The Contender
The most interesting thing about this match is that Conor McGregor isn't a boxer at all. The fierce Irish bruiser is an MMA fighter, having competed for over nine years. Currently ranked third-best in the UFC, pound-for-pound, he began entertaining the idea of fighting against Mayweather late last year. What started off as a fantasy quickly became a reality when Mayweather agreed to the bout...
What Was At Stake
And what started out as a novelty match quickly became one of the biggest fights of all time. Not just in viewers, but in prize money. Mayweather would walk away from the fight with a guaranteed $100,000,000, and McGregor over $30,000,000. But that wasn't all: the title belt alone, made of alligator leather, features 1.5 kg of 24-karat gold, 3,360 diamonds, 600 sapphires, and 300 emeralds. Not a bad prize.
McGregor Leads Off
Many thought that Mayweather would win easily, given his experience, but the first few rounds of the fight surprised everyone. McGregor exploded out of his corner, landing punch after punch and impressing the judges with his ferocity. After four rounds, he had Mayweather against the ropes and had even started dancing around with his hands behind his back. But that would soon change...
Mayweather Strikes Back
As the fight wore on, Mayweather seemed to find his footing and McGregor looked to be increasingly fatigued. The rounds piled up and Mayweather eventually looked to be beating his opponent. McGregor swayed on his feet, a defeated man, helpless to stop the champion's onslaught.
TKO
By round 10, it was all over. McGregor couldn't defend Mayweather's barrage anymore, and the referee called a TKO - a Technical Knockout. Scorecards would later show that Mayweather was in the lead anyway, and when his hand was lifted as the victor, the crowd roared for this dazzling display. He was now undefeated 50-0, the greatest boxer of all time.
His Ex-Girlfriend
But not according to his ex-girlfriend, Shantel Jackson. A few hours after the fight had ended, she took to Twitter to claim that Mayweather had not at all won fair and square. McGregor had purposely lost, to give Mayweather the record and in exchange for an even bigger portion of the winnings. It was the latest scandal in an often abusive relationship that had played out for four years.
Could She Be Right?
coined from @jellyshare.com
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