Mayweather vs. McGregor exotics – will it be most-watched fight?

WE are less than a month away from one of biggest bouts in combat sports history, but the biggest question heading into the August 26 showdown is will Mayweather vs. McGregor be the most watched Pay Per View event ever?

Online agency WillliamHill.com.au is currently offering -454.55 on the bout to exceed 4.6 million PPV buys, while punters who do not think the numbers will match the Fight of the Century can get a +300 return.

Early projections on the Notorious One’s boxing debut alongside the arguably the greatest all-time in the form of “Money” has it surpassing five million PPV buys, which would shatter the record 4.6 million buys set in 2015 by Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

The Mayweather and Pacquiao bout also sold out the venue in less than a minute.

Tickets are still widely available for the August 26 bout, causing consternation for the promoters that the fight may not be as hot a ticket as they suspected. Despite the less than stellar ticket sales, pundits and punters alike think it will be a foregone conclusion that the bout breaks all records.

Despite slow ticket sales, still confident Mayweather-McGregor will set both betting and PPV records.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) July 31, 2017

Another big question coming into the bout lies outside the ring according to the bookmakers.

William Hill has set a market on whether the 45th President of the United States Donald Trump will be in attendance for the superbout.

The British bookmaker is offering +700 on Trump to be in attendance on August 26. Despite being “interested” in being there in person, UFC President Dana White said it is unlikely the leader of the free world will be in the building.

“[Trump] is 100 per cent interested in attending the event,” White told reporters.

“But they called me yesterday and I don’t think they’re going to come, but he’ll be watching.”

White elaborated, saying the President believes he will overshadow the event if he is in attendance.

“He feels like he’ll ruin events, he’ll ruin the event if he shows up.

“Secret Service is going to have to go through the place, shut down streets and create crazy traffic.”

For a fight of this magnitude it is inevitable that talk of a re-match will materialise even before the the first one has taken place.

Given McGregor is making the jump from MMA to boxing, there is a push for Mayweather to return the favour and step into the octagon. A quote from the opening press conference suggested Money may have no issues with taking the leap.

“I don’t care if it’s a ring or it’s an octagon, I will kick ass,” he said.

When Mayweather said he would fight McGregor in the octagon. pic.twitter.com/ayGNbjih1L

— Harrison (@_HPerez8) July 11, 2017

“I don’t back down for anybody, you line them up and I will knock them down.”

Despite Mayweather’s assertion he will be up for anything, William Hill does not think the 40-year-old will
make the transition.

Ambitious punters can get a +3300 return if they think a re-match will happen under MMA rules before the end of 2018.

It may seem outlandish to suggest it will happen, but who would have even predicted this bout would be possible two years ago?