BoxRec

International Boxing Organisation President Ed Levine has given a strong opinion on the possible cross-codes battle between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor.



Asked his view on the contest, which has totally divided the boxing world, Levine followed the WBC and WBA in opposing the fight going ahead as a sanctioned 50th contest on Mayweather’s record.

“I consider any Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor fight nothing more than an exhibition,” Levine exclusively told World Boxing News.

“I am hoping that in the end Mayweather v McGregor is labelled as just that, as in my opinion, it should not be viewed as a boxing event.

“Mayweather v McGregor actually reminds me of when Muhammad Ali, then the heavyweight world champion, fought a Japanese professional wrestler (Antonio Inoki).

“The fans thought they would see a great match and were sorely disappointed,” he added.

Ali v Inoki took place in June 1976 and saw the boxing and wrestling world’s come together in a worldwide event.

https://youtu.be/OIiN2eJSpHs

It'll be more entertaining than Ali vs Inoki, and McGregor in all likelihood will actually attempt to throw punches instead of crawling toward Mayweather on the ground. If Inoki had been forced to box against Ali it would've been far more amusing to watch and Ali of course would've smashed him, if it would've been a legitimate Boxer vs Wrestler fight that wasn't a work Inoki would've stopped Ali.

The main thing that made Ali vs Inoki suck so hard is it wasn't a legitimate sporting contest. It was a Professional wrestling match disguised as a legitimate sporting event...guys are able to pull that off if they're both Professional Wrestlers sometimes, but if one of them is a boxer, it's gonna suck balls.

I thought it was going to be a straight boxing match? If it is, Floyd wins easy. If it's mixed rules with grappling and/or kicking involved, McGregor probably wins. Either way, it's a freakshow I have zero interest in, and one that I think is bad for fans of both sports.

jujigatame wrote:I thought it was going to be a straight boxing match? If it is, Floyd wins easy. If it's mixed rules with grappling and/or kicking involved, McGregor probably wins. Either way, it's a freakshow I have zero interest in, and one that I think is bad for fans of both sports.

I don't see how it's bad when you take it for what it is. It's going to sell because it's an unusual event that doesn't happen every day. Nobody is expecting the greatest fight of all time or anything out of this I wouldn't think.

Massive pile of shite shouldn't even be allowed! A guy who's never had a pro bout making his debut in the greatest sport in the world against one of the, possibly thee, best fighter(s) of a generation.

If it's on a channel I have I'll no doubt watch it but I'm not paying a PPV fee and not getting any extra channels put on to view it.

If both boxers are granted a licence by a state in America then it's a licenced boxing event, there doesn't need to be a spurious title on the line. Just because it would be McGregor's debut doesn't mean that it isn't a legitimate fight. Highly decorated amateurs sometimes fight their first professional bout against a high-level opponent so who is to say that it cannot happen 'cross-code'?

I don't have any particular interest in this fight it's just slightly annoying all of these sanctioning bodies chipping in when no one has asked them to sanction a bout which remains hypothetical...

They have been throwing this fight about for sometime now trying to gauge opinion.
Not sure if it's just me but the people don't sound very interested.

It's just an amateur match, it is boxing somehow.

Just an exhibition?

About as worthwhile as an IBO title fight then?

gilgamesh wrote:

jujigatame wrote:I thought it was going to be a straight boxing match? If it is, Floyd wins easy. If it's mixed rules with grappling and/or kicking involved, McGregor probably wins. Either way, it's a freakshow I have zero interest in, and one that I think is bad for fans of both sports.

I don't see how it's bad when you take it for what it is. It's going to sell because it's an unusual event that doesn't happen every day. Nobody is expecting the greatest fight of all time or anything out of this I wouldn't think.

Well it's definitely bad for MMA because you have the LW champ in his prime not defending his belt for 7 months and counting because he wants to pursue some freakshow fight.

For boxing I guess it's kind of a wash, since Floyd wasn't really actively fighting anyway.

It's gonna happen, easy massive pay day for Floyd and I reckon Connor will earn more in one night than in his whole career. Daft though, like Steven Bunce said, there are about 2500 WW's in the world and over 2000 of them would beat Connor.

disagree. mcgregor is a boxer, just
an MMA ring.

Evander wrote:They have been throwing this fight about for sometime now trying to gauge opinion.
Not sure if it's just me but the people don't sound very interested.

That's because most of us on here are hardcore fans and see it for what it is. The casual shít munchers will lap this garbage up!

man wrote:disagree. mcgregor is a boxer, just
an MMA ring.

He's no more a boxer than Charlie feckin Z. This 'fight' is a fuckin joke.

Mayweather and McGregor are getting tons of free press from the boxing establishment!

WBA - "We ain't sanctioning this fight."

Me - "I didn't realize that either fighter asked for it to be sanctioned. After all, why would a sanctioning body put a belt on the line for a guy who is 0-0? Also, with the $$$$$$$$ both men will make, why would they want to give a drop of it to the WBA?"

Oscar - "May weather vs. McGregor would be a circus and a black eye for the sport of boxing."

Me - "So, one boxing promoter is jealous that he isn't involved in a much hyped upcoming boxing match. Therefore, he will make no money off of it. Got it. Thanks Oscar."

IBO - Comparing this is a professional rassling match from the 70's.

Me - "Another sanctioning body that feels sad they are not a part of the fight."

Arum - "Manny can fight in Floyd's place."

Me - "Your guy has a fight lined up, why not try to drum up hype for Pacquiao vs. Horn, Bob."


As for me, If Archie Moore can have his final boxing match against 0-0 Mike DiBiase, a former college & AAU wrestler who dabbled in 'rassling. Then, Mayweather can do the same with Conor McGregor.

No one sees this as a championship of anything. I'm shocked that anyone would even consider asking the alphabet companies to comment on it.

Let the fans have their circus.

Let the combatants have their money.

I'm not going to buy it, but the fake-outrage within the boxing machine seems a little phony.

Maybe Oscar can promote a Canelo vs. LaBron James boxing match next year? That'll make up for him missing out on this PPV boxing match.

I like mcgregor, I can take or leave Mayweather, but not a supporter of this contest

On one hand they'll make a shite load of money so you can't blame them

On the other, for the greater of good of boxing, this whole thing is a stinker. People will tune in due to the hype and witness a guy getting outclassed and the fight will stink the place out

Mayweather vs top opposition put no value on entertainment and used to stink the place out with his chosen style of fighting. The Pacquaio fight hurt boxing more than any positives. Stylistically he's a turn off. To use the great Ali vs Frazier "fight of the century" headline title really took the piss as well

It's not Ali Inoki... Inoki didn't wear gloves so he wasn't even allowed to punch Ali... It was probably the most boring combat event of all time.

For me, Inoki won easy because he did a 100 X more damage with his leg strikes... Why he was allowed to kick Ali in the legs with wrestling boots is a mystery... But he did it all night and really didn't take any punches worth talking about so he won the event going away if the judging were honest.

It wasn't... The draw decision was obviously fixed... There was another Boxer vs Wrestler event that night... Andre the Giant took on Chuck Wepner. Andre threw Wepner out of the ring and it took Chuck more than 20 seconds to get back in. Andre the Giant was declared the winner... The boxers got their asses beaten that night -- that draw was a bunch of garbage.

McGregor vs Mayweather would be a Boxing event... It's not going to have a single element of MMA involved with it.. And it won't even happen.

It would be so unFloyd like for Mayweather to actually sign to fight McGregor.

Stuarty30 wrote:

man wrote:disagree. mcgregor is a boxer, just
an MMA ring.

He's no more a boxer than Charlie feckin Z. This 'fight' is a fuckin joke.

what i was trying to say is that
he is a puncher, he won't be on
his back like inoki.

man wrote:

Stuarty30 wrote:

man wrote:disagree. mcgregor is a boxer, just
an MMA ring.

He's no more a boxer than Charlie feckin Z. This 'fight' is a fuckin joke.

what i was trying to say is that
he is a puncher, he won't be on
his back like inoki.

The fights a circus man. Decent domestic level guys would whip McGregor.

Stuarty30 wrote:

man wrote:

Stuarty30 wrote:
He's no more a boxer than Charlie feckin Z. This 'fight' is a fuckin joke.

what i was trying to say is that
he is a puncher, he won't be on
his back like inoki.

The fights a circus man. Decent domestic level guys would whip McGregor.

of course. he has no chance
whatsoever under boxing rules.

Ruthless-RKO wrote:
https://youtu.be/OIiN2eJSpHs

..what an absolute circus act..come to think of it, somebody paid for that...

It's a huge money grab, pure and simple and why not. Anyone who pays for it is a complete sucker but it's not a boxing event, a fight or anything of the sort. It's a song and dance routine. But who really cares? Oh no! They are businessmen and this is the golden goose right here. No risk, just insane amounts of financial reward. How can you hate on that or even really care one way or the other? Just like when he fought Pac. A glorified sparring session. The build-up and trash talk will be the best drama of the whole charade. But people getting upset about this are the craziest of the bunch.

WRONG!! ... It's a Boxing event.. Why wouldn't it be? ... McGregor obtained a boxing license and has signed a negotiated contract to fight Mayweather. At least 10% of MMA has to do with boxing skills. Top MMA guys can box a little bit.

The gloves are so much smaller, but that just means you can't hide behind your gloves. Also in MMA the danger of getting thumbed or fingered in the eye is 10 X greater. You have to be extremely wary and get a good opening before you throw. You're used to missiles coming at you in the form of fists, elbows, forearms, back fists, hammer blows, holding and hitting techniques, knees, shins, feet, and heels. That’s 10 X the strikes you have to worry about than in Boxing. Conor’s fists make Floyd’s look like dinky winks. The sooner they get it on the better I’ll like it – but it won’t happen.

The only thing missing in this "Snake River Canyon Motorcycle Jump" is Floyd Mayweather's signature... I doubt that Floyd will sign the contract...

Floyd is going to bitch and complain and cry about the money or find some way to wimp out of the fight as usual... Conor might get in a lucky straight left – that’s a punch the Irishman can throw – and Floyd isn't down with that... Floyd starts sweating BB's whenever he appears with McGregor.. Floyd should box this guy as easy as he did Andre Berto and win a decision – but there's that straight left to look out for.. Floyd is not going to fight anybody he doesn't feel comfortable he can beat without problems.

It's not a cross codes match.

greg wrote:

Ruthless-RKO wrote:
https://youtu.be/OIiN2eJSpHs

..what an absolute circus act..come to think of it, somebody paid for that...

It was no circus act for Muhammad Ali... Inoki's kicks decked Ali a few times and sent him staggering at other times.. He out landed Ali about 137 to 2 and beat the trash out of Ali's left leg and put a few bungs on his right leg.. Ali's corner kept putting ice bags on the huge swelling on Ali's legs..

It was supposed to be Boxing vs Wrestling match, but Inoki wasn't allowed to wrestle.. Whenever he grabbed Ali the American "protectorate" referee forced Inoki to let go.. Inoki still won the fight by a massive margin but getting hit far fewer times than any boxer Ali ever fought and landing many times.. After the fight Inoki didn't have a mark on him and Ali left leg was all beaten to trash.. Inoki explains that he easily won and Ali was protected by the referee.