The Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor fight is quickly approaching on August 26, with many people having mixed reactions – some calling it a circus while some are calling it the biggest fight ever.
However no one can deny that they are both at the top of their respective sports. And with both Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor set to earn a potential 100 million each, its going to be a massive fight.
There is something unique about this fight, this will be the first time in history a MMA fighter has agreed to fight a boxer in a boxing match.
We’re going to take a walk down memory lane and look at the past fights that have happened between MMA fighters and boxers and what the outcome has been. Come and take a walk with us.
Muhammad Ali vs Antonio Inoki – 1976
The fight occurred in June 26, 1976 and is believed to be one of the earliest recorded fights of a boxer fighting another fighter in another discipline. At the time Muhammad Ali was the best and undisputed heavyweight champion. Antonio Inoki was a professional Japanese wrestler who was the NWF heavyweight champion.
Before the fight there was much build up with Muhammad Ali challenging any fighter from Japan and offering them a million dollars to fight.
The fight was highly publicised and there was a huge turnout for the fight. The fight also had a special set of rules. This is fight is known to inspire mixed martial arts.
Ali vs Inoki after 15 rounds ended in a draw.
Randy Couture vs James Toney – 2010
Randy Couture was a five time UFC champion and an great grappler. James Toney was a three weight world boxing champion who was a hard hitter. This fight involved James Toney having to step in to the octagon for the first time. For this has was contracted with the UFC.
The fight happened at UFC 118 in August 28, 2010.
It was a quick fight and Toney was just not ready for the grappling and ground game of Couture. During the build up to the fight James Toney was stating how quick he would end the fight, however it didn’t quite go the way he wanted it to.
Many boxers and MMA fighters have fought over the years but this fight just showed fans that MMA is a serious contender for boxing.
Ray Mercer vs Tim Sylvia – 2009
The year was 2009 and heavyweight boxing champion Ray Mercer was going up against UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia. Bearing in mind Ray Mercer was six foot one and Tim Sylvia was a towering six foot eight. The height difference and reach was big.
The first round started and Ray Mercer knocked Tim Sylvia out in the first nine seconds with an amazing overhand right punch which was his first punch of the fight.
It was a shock upset for Tim Sylvia with many people having him as a favourite to win. This affected Sylvia’s career and after a few years he retired.
Over the years there have been many times when boxers have entered the Octagon and faced off against MMA fighters but this will be the first time ever in history when a MMA fighter goes against a boxer in a boxing ring.
There have been mixed results to when boxers and MMA fighters have faced each other, when Mayweather and McGregor face each other we don’t know who is going to lose but what we do know both of them are going to be big winners, financially.
