The fight that many thought would never happen was officially announced on Wednesday as Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor will meet in the boxing ring and fight under boxing rules on August 26.
Sport Science breaks down the two stylistic differences between the hard-hitting UFC champion and the undefeated, quick, and defensive boxing genius.
Both fighters have a similar height and reach, with Mayweather listed at 5’8″ with a reach of 72″ and McGregor listed at 5’9″ with a 74″ reach giving “The Notorious” a slight advantage.
Sport Science says “McGregor’s brute power is rooted in technique” that results in “a punch that consistently packs nearly 850 pounds of force. That’s on par with 10-pound sledgehammer swung at 20 miles per hour.” More science behind McGregor’s technique explains that the UFC champ “propels himself into his target with as much rotational velocity as an MLB pitcher rocketing a fastball,” comparing McGregor’s 582 degrees/sec to the pitcher’s 500 degrees/sec.
Although Mayweather’s greatest boxing asset is his defensive style, Sport Science sheds some light on Mayweather’s punches. Sport Science states, “because he keeps his rear elbow tucked in, he is able to efficiently spring a counter with 10.5 Gs of acceleration. That’s quicker than the strike of a viper. And while the force Mayweather generates isn’t quite as powerful as McGregor’s, by utilizing speed and precision ‘Money’ still has knockout power. In fact, Mayweather’s power is about the same as volume puncher and McGregor rival, Nate Diaz.” Sports Science lists Mayweather’s average power punch at 814 pounds of force and Nate Diaz’s at 820 pounds of force.
How will the two different styles of fighting clash in the boxing ring on August 26? Let’s get your thoughts in the comment section on the breakdown of styles and let us know how you see the fight going!
