BoxRec

"HBO's Lampley: Mayweather-McGregor a Scam, Rematch in Play" (Source: BS.com)

HBO Boxing broadcast analyst Jim Lampley is convinced that former five division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (50-0, 27 KOs) will return to the ring once again - likely for a rematch with UFC superstar Conor McGregor.

... recently, Mayweather has begun posting training videos and he appears to be in shape. And McGregor has been actively calling for a Mayweather rematch.

Lampley strongly believes that Mayweather allowed McGregor to win the early rounds, and then carried him, to create the illusion of a competitive fight so they could fight again.

"Why should he retire? He created a marvelous scam with this whole thing," Lampley said to TMZ.

"He allowed Conor to quote 'win' three rounds so that the whole global MMA wish community could have something to latch on to. I think there's a decent chance there's enough suckers out there Floyd could maybe make another $150 million, why not?"

"Oh yeah, obviously [he put out those videos to build a rematch]. Did you just associate the word 'risk' with Floyd Mayweather. Risk has nothing to do with it. Risk is not involved with [a McGregor rematch]. Are we having a bet on whether or not Floyd Mayweather wants to make another $150 million? It's not a bet. Why else is he putting out videos of himself working out? Why else did he allow Conor McGregor to 'win' three rounds? Why did the whole thing last ten rounds? It's all a set up."

For the record, the Mayweather-McGregor bout was televised by Showtime, HBO’s biggest US boxing network rival, with Jim Lampley being employed by HBO.

Thoughts?

I don't think Mayweather is ever coming back.

I geniunely don't believe Mayweather "carried" McGregor as such. I think he showed McGregor respect for his trade as a UFC fighter and had a game plan for the best tactic to beat a fighter who has only fought for 25 minutes in a 36 minute contest.... Cover up, making him fight at an intensity (by stalking him) taking over when McGregor gassed.

Yes, he proabably could have outboxed him with slick counters and dismantled him much quicker and more effectively if he wanted to - but I geniunely think he thought about a gameplan to win in the safest fashion.

He's spot on, he did let him have success once he realised he could not punch hard and he carried him for a lot of the fight. Plenty of goons will part with their money again, good luck to them.

He is correct.

stujones wrote:I geniunely don't believe Mayweather "carried" McGregor as such. I think he showed McGregor respect for his trade as a UFC fighter and had a game plan for the best tactic to beat a fighter who has only fought for 25 minutes in a 36 minute contest.... Cover up, making him fight at an intensity (by stalking him) taking over when McGregor gassed.

Yes, he proabably could have outboxed him with slick counters and dismantled him much quicker and more effectively if he wanted to - but I geniunely think he thought about a gameplan to win in the safest fashion.

No one ever lays a single glove on Floyd. Some of the best fighters of our generation (Hatton, Pac, Marquez), couldn't touch him but Conor could? It's a joke, he could've sparked him under 2 if he wanted to

$150 million? In the entire history of the world, has that amount of money ever been made so easily?

Leave Bill Gates out of it.

Of course McGregor wants a rematch, Jim. He can't make anywhere close to that kind of money in MMA.

Floyd is staying in shape because that's what he likes to do. He never ballooned up in weight between fights like the average fighter.

He will never return.

i do not think floyd let mcgregor win
the first rounds, this is just part of his
style to let people come in and study
them. it is not easy as a mainly defense
oriented fighter to shine against the
unorthodox assault of people like
mcgregor or maidana, especially early
on, when the aggressor is not frustrated
yet. floyd in the end won with ease since
his opponent is no pro-boxer.

what did show was floyd's age and ring
rust. i for one doubt that the second fight
would sell or that floyd would even consider
doing that.

SenorPipino wrote:Of course McGregor wants a rematch, Jim. He can't make anywhere close to that kind of money in MMA.

Floyd is staying in shape because that's what he likes to do. He never ballooned up in weight between fights like the average fighter.

He will never return.

signed.

Wouldn't be smart for McGregor. He still somehow left his MMA fans proud of him after the 1st fight, a 2nd, more decisive loss would hurt his earning power going forward in MMA.

Of course he might make so much money that he'd be fine just retiring, but I don't the UFC would want that. It'd be a big blow for them as an organization, and their PPV's have been downtrending this year so they REALLY need Conor back in the Octagon.

Nothing would hurt his earnings power in mma.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Nothing would hurt his earnings power in mma.

That's probably true, after all Chuck Liddell kept headlining PPV's even during like a 5 or 6 fight losing streak

gilgamesh wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Nothing would hurt his earnings power in mma.

That's probably true, after all Chuck Liddell kept headlining PPV's even during like a 5 or 6 fight losing streak

That's the best thing about the sport.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

gilgamesh wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Nothing would hurt his earnings power in mma.

That's probably true, after all Chuck Liddell kept headlining PPV's even during like a 5 or 6 fight losing streak

That's the best thing about the sport.

I guess. I definitely don't think they should throw a guy away after a few losses, but he also shouldn't be headlining PPV's when he hasn't won in several consecutive fights.

Although to their credit I dont' recall them doing that any other time except with Liddell.

gilgamesh wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

gilgamesh wrote:
That's probably true, after all Chuck Liddell kept headlining PPV's even during like a 5 or 6 fight losing streak

That's the best thing about the sport.

I guess. I definitely don't think they should throw a guy away after a few losses, but he also shouldn't be headlining PPV's when he hasn't won in several consecutive fights.

Although to their credit I dont' recall them doing that any other time except with Liddell.

The headliner is the ticket seller. I don't recall any champions having to fight under him. The WEC was still around, they only had 5 belts.

While I do think FLoyd let Conor win some rounds (so the MMA and casual fans wouldnt feel ripped off by an easy stoppage) I dont think he necessarily did it in order to set things up for a rematch.

That being said, I think there's a 15-20% chance that the lure of $$$ could get the free-spending Mayweather back in the ring for a rematch.