P.T. Would’ve been Proud! A Boxing Coach’s Take on Mayweather vs. McGregor

P.T. Would’ve been Proud! A Boxing Coach’s Take on Mayweather vs. McGregor

197

By: Bruce Babashan

(A letter to a friend about the McGregor vs Mayweather fight the other night)

I did not watch the fight the other night. I had my reasons but I have many friends and family that did. One friend (Greg) in particular who loves Conner McGregor and MMA was really into the whole event. He’s a great guy! After the fight he immediately called me insisting that McGregor did better than anyone had expected and said how proud he was of him. I’m a professional boxing coach so it was natural he wanted to share his opinions with me. Leading up to the fight he would call me regularly to talk about the event and to ask my opinion. I would tell him I didn’t feel McGregor had much of a chance but that never seemed to satisfy him and each time we talked he wanted to really get into it…to be honest, I was just not that interested.


Photo Credit: USA Today

It wasn’t just this friend, it was many friends and even some family members who wanted to talk about it and this conversation was repeated many times leading up to the big event. I tried to stay clear of it as best I could because it was clear most of the folks I was speaking to were not really interested in my view but rather on telling me their’s and why my view was so wrong. Its natural. It’s the hype. If’s fun to speculate and to be part of the excitement building up to any big fight. Besides, I’m a boxing trainer so who else would they call…right?

I had many opportunities to see the fight but I chose to stay home. After the fight was over my friend Greg called me immediately asking my opinion. I told him I hadn’t seen it and he went on to describe it to me. He was so happy! He felt that despite the fact that McGregor had been TKO’d that it was somehow a justification of CM’s authenticity as a capable boxer. He kept saying “see…see…CM did better than you all thought he’d do…see…MMA fighters can compete with boxers.” I did not respond because it was unnecessary since his guy was just TKO’d for gods sake and didn’t feel anything else was needed to be said at that moment. Besides, he was having fun in the moment so it was not the right time to offer a contrary opinion. So the next day I crafted a brief email for him and I wanted to share it with you all in the hopes some of you find it interesting.

Dear Greg: I was very happy for you last night. When you called you seemed like you were having a ball! It sounded like a fun event. As I mentioned, I did not see the fight and I had watched the Miguel Cotto fight on HBO instead. I know you are a big fan of Conner McGregor’s and you should be very proud of him. He is a true warrior and an impressive guy, to say the least! That said, I wanted to try and share my thoughts on the fight and avoid a disagreement in the process.

I hope you will take what I offer in the spirit in which it is intended. After so many years in boxing I have a point of view you may find interesting. I didn’t say anything last night when you called but I’m hoping that by today some of the euphoria has worn off and I can share my point of view and give you a different perspective on the fight.

There was no surprise last night Greg. I know you want to believe CM ‘shocked the world” but he did not. He did not outperform expectations and, in fact, got KO’d and was saved by the official. Not only did CM NOT outperform expectations but he actually performed almost EXACTLY the way many (most) knowledgeable and smart boxing folks felt he would…GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Look I do not claim to know much, but I do know boxing. Over the years I’ve learned not to let my emotions cloud my judgment and I’ve learned how to “tease out” the hype for the actual fight itself. In any build leading up to a fight everyone loves to speculate, make predications and defend whomever they are backing. That’s half the fun of it and this fight was no different, however, next time if you REALLY want to know what the inside experts think about it all you have to do is follow the money. Simple!
The HYPE or “the FOG of war” so to speak was awesome for this event. MMA vs Boxing….McGregor’s toughness vs Maywether’s skills. McGregor: the young strong warrior, in his prime, tough as nails, a big heart with a big punch and some boxing skills vs. Maywether: the undefeated super skilled boxer closing in on his 50th win. A super skilled fighter who is older and slower and who has been inactive (2 years) and has just 1-KO in the past 10 years – its perfect and when you add in the commentators from each side some saying McGregor will get KO’d in the 1st round or that McGregor won’t land a punch while others claiming McGregor was too strong, too big and has a huge punch that will crush Maywether’s “tiny” head. Everyone had an opinion and everyone was an expert. It was a BLAST!

All this makes for fertile ground for a hype and THE PERFECT SET-UP!. A world-wide controversy with a nearly 100% predictable outcome! The perfect set up for a SPECTACLE…but not a real fight!
Last night 83% of all the “smart money” (professional gamblers) bet on Maywether.

The over/under on the fight was 9.5 rounds (the fight went 10. Six weeks ago I penned an article called “A Coaches View on the Maywether vs McGregor fight’ (https://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/a-coaches-maywether-mcgregor/77058) where I predicted this fight would turn out almost EXACTLY as it did. I’m no genius but I do know a few things about boxing and the “big hype.” The fact is, McGregor and Maywether each performed almost EXACTLY the way most of us expected they would. In fact, the only people who are truly shocked were those of you who bought into the hype.

Here are the facts (if you care to hear them)-: Conner McGregor is a world-class MMA fighter with “club level” talents as a boxer. His youth, heart and size kept him on his feet just long enough for Vegas and the “smart money” to cash in (Under/over 9.5). He had almost no chance to win the fight and he performed EXACTLY as the money had PLANNED. Maywether did the same and everyone walked away a winner last night. That said, this was NOT a real fight….. it was a spectacle!!!

Greg, I love to see you so excited about a boxing match. That said, next time there is a big hype DONT just “watch” the hype but rather try and SEE THRU THE GAME! McGregor is a very bad man who performed EXACTLY as he was expected to. Maywether is a great OLD boxer who did EXACTLY what he needed to…everybody wins…including the fans on both sides.

McGregor cashed-in at the right time against the perfect guy. The truth: McGregor is a club-level boxer, nothing more…nothing less, but his other attributes made him the perfect foil for the hype. McGregor was exactly what he was expected to be and exactly who he needed to be last night. GET IT! Be proud of your man, he’s great in MMA but he should NOT return to boxing!

I am reminded of a quote I heard many years ago “You can fool some of the people all of the time. You can fool all of the people some of the time… but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. – P.T. Barnum.

Ole PT would have been proud Saturday night!

See you at the gym Greg!

BRUCE BABASHAN
USA Boxing Coach
Professional Boxing Trainer
Clarksburg High School – Football Coach
Speaker and Author

Tags:

197 Comments

  5. HarryPogma
    10/30/2024,

    sweet bonanza [url=http://sweetbonanzatr.pro/#]sweet bonanza[/url] sweet bonanza oyna

  9. HarryPogma
    10/31/2024,

    pinup-az bid [url=https://pinup-az.bid/#]pin up[/url] pinup az

  10. Jefferynof
    10/31/2024,

    пины: пинап – Пин Ап Казино Официальный Сайт

  11. HarryPogma
    10/31/2024,

    пин ап кз [url=http://biznes-fabrika.kz/#]пинап[/url] пинап казино

  17. HarryPogma
    11/01/2024,

    pin up azerbaycan [url=http://pinup-az.bid/#]pin-up casino giris[/url] pinup az

  20. HarryPogma
    11/01/2024,

    пин ап зеркало [url=https://pinupzerkalo.fun/#]пин ап вход[/url] Пин Ап Казино Официальный Сайт в России

  29. Leroyaddek
    11/05/2024,

    prescription drugs online [url=http://pharm24.pro/#]cheap drugs online[/url] medication for ed

  31. Leroyaddek
    11/05/2024,

    best ed medicine [url=https://pharm24.pro/#]affordable medication[/url] best ed pills

  32. Leroyaddek
    11/05/2024,

    buying from online mexican pharmacy [url=http://mexicanpharm24.cheap/#]mexican drugs[/url] mexican rx online

  35. Leroyaddek
    11/06/2024,

    how to cure ed naturally [url=https://pharm24.pro/#]cheap drugs[/url] errectile dysfunction

  38. Leroyaddek
    11/06/2024,

    best ed treatments [url=http://pharm24.pro/#]cheap prescription drugs[/url] cheap erectile dysfunction pills

  40. JorgeWes
    11/07/2024,

    buying prescription drugs in mexico online: mexico pharmacy – mexican pharmaceuticals online

  59. DennisBlast
    11/12/2024,

    buy rybelsus online usa: rybpharm – buy rybelsus canada

  65. Curtispam
    11/14/2024,

    GabaPharm [url=https://gabapharm.com/#]gabapentin[/url] buy gabapentin online

  85. Brandenbor
    11/18/2024,

    buy amoxicillin 500mg capsules uk: amoxil com pharm – can i buy amoxicillin over the counter in australia

  86. Bradleyboack
    11/18/2024,

    priligy [url=http://priligymaxpharm.com/#]dapoxetine price[/url] buy priligy max pharm

  89. Bradleyboack
    11/18/2024,

    priligy max pharm [url=https://priligymaxpharm.com/#]dapoxetine online[/url] priligy maxpharm

  91. Brandenbor
    11/19/2024,

    how to get generic clomid tablets: clomid – can you buy generic clomid no prescription

  93. StevenDuamb
    11/20/2024,

    where to buy clomid no prescription: cheap clomid – can you buy cheap clomid pill

  94. Brandenbor
    11/20/2024,

    amoxicillin without a prescription: com pharm – amoxicillin 500mg tablets price in india

  95. DerekAquag
    11/20/2024,

    can i purchase generic clomid prices: buy clomid – can i order generic clomid price

  96. Brandenbor
    11/20/2024,

    can i buy clomid without insurance: clomid online – where to get clomid now

  111. Jamesshush
    11/26/2024,

    пинап казино: pinup – pinup kazi

  117. Clintondox
    12/01/2024,

    http://amoxilpharm.store/# AmoxilPharm
    Semaglutide pharmacy price [url=https://semaglutidepharm.com/#]Rybelsus 7mg[/url] Buy compounded semaglutide online

  118. EdwardMax
    12/02/2024,

    buy neurontin uk [url=http://gabapentinpharm.com/#]Gabapentin Pharm[/url] Gabapentin Pharm

  121. Matthewicody
    12/05/2024,

    https://ciprofloxacin.cheap/# cipro 500mg best prices
    buy generic ciprofloxacin [url=https://ciprofloxacin.cheap/#]ciprofloxacin 500 mg tablet price[/url] purchase cipro

  126. JaimeDubop
    12/08/2024,

    cytotec online [url=https://cytotec.top/#]cytotec online[/url] buy cytotec in usa

  127. CoreyKam
    12/09/2024,

    medications for [url=http://drugs1st.pro/#]drugs1st[/url] male ed

  128. CoreyKam
    12/10/2024,

    cenforce for sale [url=https://cenforce.icu/#]cenforce for sale[/url] buy cenforce

  131. RobertErymn
    12/12/2024,

    pinup2025.com [url=http://pinup2025.com/#]пин ап казино[/url] пин ап казино

  132. RobertErymn
    12/12/2024,

    пин ап зеркало [url=https://pinup2025.com/#]pinup 2025[/url] пин ап казино

  136. RobertErymn
    12/13/2024,

    slot oyunlar? puf noktalar? [url=https://slottr.top/#]en kazancl? slot oyunlar?[/url] slot tr online

  147. Kennethbut
    12/21/2024,

    how to get cheap clomid online [url=https://clomidonpharm.com/#]where to get generic clomid pills[/url] cost cheap clomid without insurance

  158. DarrenBix
    12/30/2024,

    пин ап казино [url=http://gramster.ru/#]gramster[/url] gramster.ru

  162. DarrenBix
    12/31/2024,

    пинап казино [url=https://gramster.ru/#]gramster[/url] пин ап казино

  165. DarrenBix
    12/31/2024,

    пинап казино [url=https://gramster.ru/#]Gramster[/url] пин ап казино зеркало

  174. JamesRothe
    01/05/2025,

    indian pharmacy [url=https://indianpharmacy.win/#]indian pharmacies safe[/url] reputable indian online pharmacy

  177. JamesRothe
    01/06/2025,

    mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa [url=https://mexicanpharmacy.store/#]mexico pharmacies prescription drugs[/url] buying prescription drugs in mexico online

  189. DonaldEnelo
    01/11/2025,

    Buy Tadalafil 20mg [url=https://maxpillsformen.com/#]Generic Cialis without a doctor prescription[/url] Buy Tadalafil 5mg

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *