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Mayweather vs McGregor was a glorified exhibition not a boxing contest worthy of eclipsing Rocky Marciano's iconic record - The Mirror


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Daily Mirror

Mayweather vs McGregor was a glorified exhibition not a boxing contest worthy of eclipsing Rocky Marciano's iconic record

Result of last Saturday's spectacle should be expunged so Floyd and late legend are both still 49-0 — or come with an asterisk

It's 48 years almost to the day since the death of Rocky Marciano, killed prematurely in a plane crash. He would have turned 46 the next day.


I was thinking about that when Floyd Mayweather beat Conor McGregor to parade a pro record that reads 50 wins and no defeats.


It shouldn’t.


Last weekend's bout with McGregor was a glorified exhibition, not a boxing contest. The result should be expunged from Mayweather’s record — or come with an asterisk.

Interestingly, the British Boxing Board of control would not have sanctioned the fight over here. They would not have given McGregor a licence to box.

For me, Marciano is still tops — undefeated on 49-0... just like Mayweather.

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READ MORE: Conor McGregor handed two-month ban after Floyd Mayweather defeat for medical reasons

That statistic echoes through boxing history and deserves to be preserved until legitimately eclipsed.


The Las Vegas show was some spectacle, and made record sales at the pay-per-view box office, six million worldwide.

But that does not legitimise it as world championship boxing.

Mayweather is 40 years old and did something I have never seen from him before, he put his hands up and walked an opponent down.


UFC star McGregor is a boxing novice and can't throw a punch properly, says Barry(Image: Getty)
That made the fight easy for Mayweather, who didn't have to worry about his power(Image: Reuters)
READ MORE: McGregor 'cannot box' and was 'totally out of his depth' against Mayweather, says Frank Warren

That gives you an indication of how little power McGregor was able to generate against an opponent who knew how to diffuse punches.


Imagine if McGregor had been in with a peak super-welterweight such as Erislandy Lara or Jermell Charlo. What they would have done to him? They would have torn him apart — and it wouldn’t taken ten rounds.

The one advantage McGregor had was size.

In Philadelphia on September 23, 1952 Rocky Marciano became the new World Heavyweight Champion after beating Jersey Joe Walcott.
Legend Marciano, who died 48 years ago this week, compiled a flawless 49-0 record(Image: Getty)

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He was the naturally bigger man but he couldn’t make it count because he can’t throw a punch properly. You can’t learn in six months what it takes ten years to become, a world class boxer. It is not called the noble art for nothing.

The irony is McGregor’s wins in UFC have come largely via punches. But you saw how little impact his blows had in a boxing ring.

The boxer knows how to negate power with timing. These are the marginal details, made expert with practiced defence.


READ MORE: ANDY DUNN: Mayweather and McGregor pull off the perfect Vegas heist — and everyone's laughing all the way to the bank

Had McGregor spent ten years in the game, I have no doubt he would have made a career of it. He is courageous, and a great athlete. But as a boxing pro McGregor is a novice and though brave as you like, not a legitimate opponent.

We have to protect the integrity of the sport as well as the legacy of Marciano — 49 and 0 is still the mark for me.

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You can follow Barry on Twitter at @ClonesCyclone

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