Rejoice, fight fan: there will be boxing matches between professional boxers on August 26 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
We can argue the importance of an undercard to support the August 26 super-fight – boxing match – between boxer Floyd Mayweather and mixed martial artist Conor McGregor until we’re blue in the face. Some say it needs one, if only to help make sense of the whole thing, while others suggest the main event, for all its faults, sells on its own.
The suits in charge, though, have enough sense and experience to know a fight between a boxer and a mixed martial artist, intriguing though it is, may well need support on the night (especially if it goes the way many expect it to go), and yesterday confirmed a flurry of boxing matches – actual boxing matches – for the August 26 card.
Titles fights first and WBA regular light-heavyweight titleholder Nathan Cleverly goes up against former WBC world super-middleweight champion Badou Jack over twelve rounds. A solid fight on paper, Jack has previously given two other Brits, George Groves (decision win) and James DeGale (draw), all they could handle and will be looking to take Welshman Cleverly’s title in a new weight class.
“I’m thankful for this opportunity and I’m excited about getting another shot at a world title,” said Jack, 21-1-2. “To be a part of this event and fighting on this card is historic. Nothing beats it. I’m excited to get back in the ring. I’m getting ready to take that belt, and win a title in my second weight class.
“The biggest difference between past training camps and preparing for this fight is the fact that I was training to get the weight down, (whereas) now I’m training to build muscle and perfect my boxing strategy. This will be a tough fight, but I don’t see any issues getting through it. I feel confident and fans can expect a win by knockout or decision. He’s not leaving with that belt. It’s staying right here in Las Vegas.”
“This is a fight I have wanted ever since Badou Jack moved to light-heavyweight and I’m delighted to fight in Vegas on an event like this,” said Cleverly, 30-1-3. “I’ve trained long and hard for this fight and I’m ready to be let off the leash. This is the biggest fight of my career so far and I’m going to do a number on Badou Jack on August 26.”
Also appearing on August 26 will be the promising IBF world super-featherweight champion Gervonta Davis, a Mayweather protege, who puts his belt on the line against Costa Rica’s unbeaten Francisco Fonseca. Presumably a showcase for Davis’ considerable talents, many are already anointing the Baltimore-native heir to the Mayweather throne. We’ll see about that.
Some of the old guard get a runout on August 26, too. Men like Shawn Porter and Steve Cunningham, former world champions. Welterweight Porter will take on Puerto Rico’s Thomas Dulorme in a bout that headlines the FOX preliminary portion of the card, while cruiserweight Cunningham goes up against undefeated Chicagoan Andrew Tabiti.
MayMac card in full:
Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor
Nathan Cleverly vs. Badou Jack
WBA light-heavyweight title
Gervonta Davis vs. Francisco Fonseca
IBF super-featherweight title
Shawn Porter vs. Thomas Dulorme
Andrew Tabiti vs. Steve Cunningham
Juan Heraldez vs. Jose Miguel Borrego
Savannah Marshall vs. TBA
