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Golden gloves: McGregor to fight Mayweather in $788 million bout

The fight is expected to generate almost $A800 million in revenue.

The fight is expected to generate almost $A800 million in revenue. Photos: Getty

The fight is on.

It took just those four words from UFC star Conor McGregor to send the sporting world into a spin.

The Irishman, the UFC’s lightweight champion, will take on US boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr in what may be the most anticipated fight in history.

Mayweather retired in 2015 with an incredible 49-0 record, but will return to the sport for what is likely to be one last payday.

The bout, which has been talked up for years, will take place in Las Vegas on August 26. ,It will be held in a boxing ring and governed by boxing rules.

That makes Mayweather a heavy favourite to beat the mixed martial arts fighter, who is known for his explosive power.

Mayweather’s speed and agility are likely to challenge McGregor, who will have his relative youth working for him. He is just 27 and Mayweather turned 40 in February.

Never one to pass up a chance to sledge a rival, McGregor’s post about the fight played on Mayweather’s age when he included a photo of his opponent’s father, Floyd Senior, who was a professional boxer himself.

It came two days after he posted a photo of Mayweather Jr, but sarcastically claimed it was his father.

Mayweather was more respectful in his Twitter post, simply saying in addition to a photo promoting the fight: “It’s official.”

Early estimates from the US suggest the bout will bring in around $US600 million ($A788 million) in revenue, with the average ticket price likely to cost around $US3500 ($A4600).

Several million viewers are also expected to watch the fight via the pay-per-view method. The blockbuster 2015 bout between Mayweather and boxer Manny Pacquiao clocked up 4.6 million paid views.

UFC boss Dana White negotiated the fight on behalf of McGregor and said the Irishman is confident he will win the fight.

“We have been in talks for a while. They went smooth,” he told ESPN.

“Floyd Mayweather surrounds himself with smart people and we got the deal done. The impossible deal is now done.

“I talked to Conor McGregor this morning. He is absolutely 100 per cent positive that he wins this fight and I stopped doubting Conor McGregor a long time ago.

“The reason Conor McGregor’s as big as he is is he’ll fight anybody, anywhere, anytime.

“He will go after Floyd Mayweather and he will try to knock him out.”

Not everyone shares the same opinion, though, with many top boxing writers unsure why the bout – between two very different fighters – has been sanctioned.

ESPN’s Dan Rafael wrote: “I strongly question whether a state athletic commission should even sanction the bout.

“But with so much money at stake – I think the pay-per-view could easily exceed three million buys – I can’t say I am surprised the fight will be sanctioned.”

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