As Warren Zevon sang, I’ll sleep when I’m dead.
Sky Sports will encrypt their broadcast in 15 minutes and the last leg of the build up to this carefully constructed event will begin.
The ring walks are likely to take place at 4.30am Irish time… how long the fight last after that, remains to be seen.
UFC Dana White has been on Fox Sports in the past hour in which he:
- insinuates Showtime have turned the air con off on the rival network at the arena?
- talks up McGregor’s chances with boxing icon Sugar Ray Leonard
- explains that a lot of people — who know nothing about MMA — are going to learn a lot tonight
We previewed the fight on Close Calls yesterday.
Joining Gavan Casey to preview ‘The Money Fight’ was five-time Irish Senior Elite champion and current 4-0 (3KOs) professional boxer Eric ‘Lilywhite Lightning’ Donovan, Donegal’s Stateside sensation Jason ‘El Animal’ Quigley, UFC lightweight and former pro boxer Joe Duffy, as well as McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh.
We asked for your predictions… so keep them coming, there’s some nice gear up ffor grabs.
Sky Sports have started their PPV broadcast. What’s the Vegas over/under on the number of times Carl Froch mentions ‘Wembley’?
Dana White was doorstepped by journalists earlier and subsequently complained that Showtime sprung the fact that the UFC side of the party needed to find a singer for McGregor’s national anthem.
White said Bono was his first call but the U2 singer is at a wedding this weekend. Presumably, he Whatsapped Imelda May, as she’ll now take to the ring ahead of the bell.
From AFP; Veteran trainer Teddy Atlas predicted a rough night inside the ropes for McGregor.
“Would a ping-pong player have a chance of scoring a point against Roger Federer?” Atlas said.
“It’s going to be like walking through a really bad neighbourhood late at night. McGregor’s going to get mugged.”
William H Macy just wasted all our time with an answer on how he sees this playing out, as he made his way into the arena.
So, where’s your money this evening?
As of Saturday, four separate bets of $1 million or more had been placed on Mayweather to win. Those wagers included a $1.2 million cash bet that will earn around $240,000.
Floyd’s in the house in a gold-trimmed black tracksuit, in which he’s grooving like Vegas legend Barry Manilow on the MGM banquet room stage. He seems relaxed, as he clocks in for his last shift at the office.
If you’re trying to watch this undercard on UFC Fight Pass, you may be frustrated.
It’s getting closer! Don’t fall asleep!
We’ve got two more fights to go before it’s Tiger v Shark, as Paulie Malignaggi would have it.
So keep those predictions coming. Here’s a couple of experts laying out how they see it unfolding on Close Calls yesterday:
If you haven’t read this masterpiece by Gavan Casey yet, now would be a good time to get stuck in.
He tracked down the ‘the toughest white boy to ever step into a ring with Floyd Mayweather’ .
But Robert Gorman’s highly-entertaining recollections of facing Money in a Vegas gym, are just a fraction of the story.
Nathan Cleverly v Badou Jack could be really good but there’s maybe 2,000 people in the arena by all accounts.
Early takeaways from the McGregor arrival:
- blue tweed with purple tie. nice
- Dee pushing the buggy in the tunnel is a nice juxtaposition to the Sin City show
- the Granda glasses are back
Still looking to kill the time before the ring walks?
We released this documentary about pro fighter Eric Donovan on Friday.
Eoin Luc O Ceallaigh spent a lot of time with Lilywhite Lightening.
Nathan Cleverly took a bad hiding there and is topped by Badou Jack. The Welshman’s reign as WBA light heavyweight champion ends.
So, just one more fight before the main event as American Gervonta Davis faces Francisco Fonseca of Costa Rica.
*plays Despacito again*
McGregor has just been interviewed in the locker room. He is either really nervous or really calm. It’s all very low key.
On his weight as he steps into the ring tonight: “I didn’t check but I’d say close to 170. Comfortable.”
“I’m going to be myself, free, spontaneous, creative. And I’m going to paint a beautiful picture,” he adds.
It’s 8pm in Vegas and we’re about to have the second last fight. Wait til you see what this lad is wearing on his head.
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This is not good news:
Here’s that Showtime interview with a chilled out Conor McGregor:
LeBron’s in for a look:
Meanwhile in Crumlin:
*SOUND OF GLASS BREAKING*
Weird ending to the last undercard fight of the evening.
Davis wins — after all his showboating — after Fonseca was counted out. Unsatisfactory ending.
Davis looks puzzled to hear boos from the crowd as the result is announced.
The first pictures are starting to appear on the wires. And Ozzy Osborne’s been on Seatwave again, it seems:
The Ole Ole brigade have been priced out of this one but there’s thousands watching this on closed circuit in the various casinos up and down the strip.
Paulie’s still trolling:
Round 1: Well now. He did well, didn’t he?
He looks a lot bigger in there than Floyd. The American offered little – but the first few rounds are all about data collection for him, they say.
The Sky pundits give that one to McGregor. Amazing.
Round 2: McGregor again made that awkward, got in some body punches, even switched up the stance a little.
Carl Froch is talking about Mayweather’s reflexes and how they’re usually the first to go. But it’s early days.
This is a big round.
Round 3 – McGregor landed some jabs but he’s expending a lot of gas. Mayweather’s cruising and looks comfortable despite the bright start from the UFC star.
Round 4: That round was Mayweather’s and McGregor is slowing down big time.
Floyd’s coming forward a lot more but McGregor’s probably leading still on most cards.
Round 5: Mayweather pushes the Dubliner after the bell there to end a round in which the Irishman looked completely bate.
Owen Roddy and John Kavanagh tell him this is a war as he leaves his stool again.
Round 6: Mayweather had LeBron on his feet as the crowd enjoyed that one. McGregor looks outclassed at this stage but is hanging in there well.
Round 7: It’s all Floyd. But we’re into the second half of the fight and this is impressive, whatever happens, from the MMA fighter.
Round 8: More of the same really with Floyd on the front foot. Dan Hardy reckons McGregor might find a second wind here and just go for it in the last few rounds — if he gets the opportunity.
Round 9. Jesus, he survived the round somehow.
Floyd was hunting him down, looking for that killer punch while McGregor was operating on fumes and completely vulnerable.
He has nothing left heading into this 10th round.
It’s over!
10th round stoppage!
Best English performance arguably since they beat NZ in 2012.
As off colour as we were it’s only fair to acknowledge how good they were.
Let’s see who will be the more consistent now for the rest of the championship
@Aaron Buckley: that’s true, though they’ve had a few months to work Ireland out. Will be interesting to see if Jones and Co can work out the others and their changes over the shortened time between games. And as you said keep up that intensity they showed. If they do that will be some effort.
When’s the last time there wasn’t one Irish player in a team of the week…… I still think we can turn it around and there’ll be a few in the team of the championship.
We aren’t as good as we thought we were before the England game and now we aren’t as bad as that performance indicates.
All the people spouting guff about “Best team in the world” hold a big portion of the blame.
@Phil O’ Meara: In reality we played just as badly in the first game last year but it was never stressed upon because of the drop goal stealing a win. People are definitely overreacting.
@Rochelle: yep , agree 100%
@Limón Madrugada: I agree and despite how bad we were there was 4 in it with 14 to go. Ireland gave up 3 of the tries. So not all doom. And gloom
We will come back from that . That is the reality of sport. The old cliches hold firm. This was , by far, the best game of the weekend.
To be a great team. You have to learn from the defeats. And hope to work harder and win next time
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12200385
The NZ Herald’s reaction to the Irish English game the weekend. This notion that NZ rugby circles are humble needs to be put to bed. They are just as bad as any one else.
@Dave Barry: Did that notion ever exist? I have New Zealand friends who don’t read the NZ Herald. Surprised anyone in Ireland would.
@Dave Barry: hard to argue with that to be fair
@Dave Barry: The NZ Herald’s rugby coverage isn’t taken seriously by most New Zealand rugby fans.
It’s the equivalent of taking Neil Francis as an accurate representation of the average Irish rugby fan.
@Dave Barry: but if England play like that they beat NZ every time
If France play like they did in first 40 mins New Zealand win every time
So……
@Dave Barry: That was without doubt the most cynical and smug piece of rugby reporting i have ever read. The guy who wrote that has never been more than four miles from Waikato in his life.
@Dave Barry: Never heard of, or met, an humble NZ rugby person in all my years following the game.
Maro Itoje should have received a red card for the targeted deliberate dangerous knees in the chest of Keith Earls while making no attempt tl play the ball – he actually ran beyond the ball to take Keith out. The TV review clearly shows that Itoje was not even looking at the ball when he jumped into Earls, who was clearly looking at the ball and positioning himself for the trajectory.
The ref obviously wanted to avoid sending two England players off the field at the same time.
“Taking out” key Irish players with late tackles (which went inpunished) appeared to be part of the England game plan. It was a very low level to sink to, and they did not need to be so cynical as they were the better team on the day anyway.
D.L
@Dan Looney: it looked like Best had upset Garces about this stage in the game and any 50 50 call after that went England’s way.
To make a great team. You have to take defeats and learn from them.
The bubble had to burst sooner or later, in away this may be a blessing in disguise, last year was exceptional and no team is invincible .a great reality check.E ngland look a lot like Ireland last year, definitely the hungrier side and hungry eyes see far .Time to blood in the younger players ,after all its world cup year .
Where’s Henshaw
form is temporary, class is permanent!
Not one Irish player, says it all.
Chin up ? Let them get theirs outta the mud first .