Thursday 15 June 2017 13:45, UK
The trash talking and talent of Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor make it a boxing showdown not to be missed, says Paulie Malignaggi.
The 40-year-old boxing legend Mayweather will take on the UFC lightweight champion in Las Vegas on August 26.
Mayweather is unbeaten as a professional boxer and announced his retirement after winning his 49th consecutive bout against Andre Berto nearly two years ago, while Irishman McGregor will make his boxing debut.
"Sports entertainment is also the marketing and packaging and these are two of the biggest trash talkers and two of the biggest personalities," Malignaggi, a former two-weight world boxing champion, told Sky Sports News HQ.
"Sometimes when you get older you need to tone down the trash talking and sometimes you need younger fighters to bring it out of you.
"Floyd in recent years hasn't had so much trash talk but the wit of Connor and his trash talking will bring out the best of Floyd. We're up for some epic press conferences and promotional tours.
"Say what you will about the fight, it will still be an event to be at and to watch. You can't take your eyes off it. By the time you reach fight night you will want to watch the fight whatever you think of it.
"These guys know how to trash talk and they know how to win. There's a piece of you that watches a fight because of the talent and the skill.
"There's a piece of you that wants to see them beaten because of the trash talking. You also want to see how they react and rebound if they are beaten and how it comes out of their character."
In a fight that could earn both men $100m (£78.4m), Mayweather will be desperate to remain unbeaten and make it 50-0, while McGregor will transfer his skills after becoming the world's most recognisable mixed martial artist since winning the UFC featherweight title in December 2015.
After splitting two high-profile bouts with Nate Diaz, the 28-year-old McGregor knocked out Eddie Alvarez to add the lightweight title last December.
"We've seen Conor come back and has shown some strong character," Malignaggi added. "We've never seen Floyd lose a fight. If he loses I don't think he'll come back at the age of 40!
"Stylistically, it's the lion against the shark. If the fight's on land then the lion is the dominant factor. When you fight in water then the lion drowns.
"These guys are supreme in their own worlds and it will be so interesting to see them in the boxing ring.
"As bizarre as it is, it may even surpass Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao in May 2014. It may reach those numbers and it is that level of a fight. UFC has unbelievable fans and boxing has unbelievable fans."
Boxing and MMA journalist Gareth Davies believes the showdown will break all previous pay-per-view records.
"Big fights are always about hype and promotion," Davies told SSN HQ. "Muhammad Ali fought a Japanese wrestler 40 odd years ago and that generated massive interest.
"McGregor is a huge outsider in this fight but I think this will break all PPV records. There was 4.5/4.6m for Mayweather v Pacquiao. That was a massive event and it took them so long to get it on.
"This fight will break all those records and it's an extraordinary event.
"It brings together the two major stars of fight sports. The boxing purists won't like it, but it's one of those things the public wants to see and these two men are providing it."
