Tuesday 22 August 2017 08:01, UK
Floyd Mayweather's meeting with Conor McGregor will attract legions of boxing and UFC fans to Las Vegas, says Sky Sports expert Johnny Nelson...
Las Vegas is going to go crazy this week.
Yes, there have been some huge fights there down the years, but I don't think even the mecca of boxing will be ready for this.
I wouldn't be surprised if there are more than we saw when Ricky Hatton and his fans turned up.
And in terms of celebrities at ringside, I think this overshadows Mayweather-Pacquiao when it was a who's-who at the MGM Grand.
One thing Vegas always manages to do is draw the famous faces in, but UFC does that as well, so put them together and it will be amazing.
In terms of the fans, this is going to be like a football derby - like we have in Sheffield with Wednesday and United.
Throw in the Irish contingency heading to Vegas and it will go nuts. They will be hanging from the rafters, filling up the bars and basically taking over The Strip.
The boxing fans and the UFC fans will be walking round with their chests puffed-out, peacocking up and down The Strip. They will think their man will win and will tell everyone why and how.
It might not have the animosity that football derbies still have, but there is so much pride on the line. The UFC fans will want McGregor to crash into boxing and although Mayweather doesn't really carry that national support from America - and many of them wouldn't mind see him lose - they want their sport to prove it's better.
Throw in the Irish contingency heading to Vegas and it will go nuts. They will be hanging from the rafters, filling up the bars and basically taking over The Strip.
No-one will forget Ricky Hatton's army coming in their thousands but I wouldn't be surprised if the Irish - from both sides of the Atlantic - overshadow the Manchester fans we saw.
McGregor's fans will be fun to spend time with as well, that's for sure, but I am not sure Vegas knows what's coming their way.
