Rumors continue to swirl that Floyd Mayweather is seriously considering a “billion dollar run” in the UFC, with the latest development being a potential fight with fellow MMA newbie CM Punk. It’s a freakshow fight of epic proportions, but it also makes a lot of sense in a weird way. Punk has no business fighting in the UFC, and neither does Mayweather. But with the UFC committed to giving the former pro wrestler one more fight, why not get really silly and rake in some big bucks?
The UFC already has a “normal” opponent for Punk lined up in 0-1 Mike Jackson, but interest for that bout was about as muted as muted could be. Ears perked up when Floyd’s uncle Jeff said “we might actually whoop his ass first,” and now we have betting odds on the potential fight from online bookies BetDSI. In what may be a surprise to some, CM Punk is a heavy favorite at -300 to Mayweather’s dog status at +220.
Punk has a couple of significant advantages over Mayweather. First there’s the size factor: he’s 6’2 and fought at 170 pounds, while Mayweather is 5’8 and, while his last boxing bout against Conor McGregor was contested at 154 pounds, he regularly competed at 146 pounds. Floyd would probably have to show up at the weigh-ins with rolls of quarters in his pockets to get close to 170, while Punk would be cutting 15-20 pounds to make weight.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BetzD5tgzKm/
Then there’s the disparity of experience. While CM Punk got trounced in his UFC debut, he still has a couple of years worth of MMA training under renown coach Duke Roufus. Before that he was training jiu jitsu on and off as far back as 2014 and got his blue belt in December of 2017. He’s pretty low on the overall MMA totem pole, but still a mile above Mayweather.
The most likely result of a fight between Punk and Mayweather is a quick submission win for Punk, but Mayweather does have some advantages of his own. He’s in phenomenal shape, and clearly has impressive athletic potential. How long would it take him to learn how to sprawl and brawl? To get back up from against the cage? Against an opponent like CM Punk, who hasn’t shown much killer instinct in any area, Mayweather’s natural Olympic-level abilities could be enough to stay upright, and if he can do that he could very well win their fight.
That’s what makes Floyd Mayweather vs. CM Punk a fascinating contrast in skills and pretty much the only interesting fight for both men in the UFC. Now we just have to wait and see if the UFC will shuck off a long history of saying no to fun freakshows like this and follow the money. In this new age with new owners, anything seems possible, even a boxing GOAT vs. a pro wrestling great.
