Mayweather-McGregor bout inspires Pakistani boxer Nadir

National super bantamweight champion says the fight had everyone hooked

KARACHI: The national super bantamweight champion Nadir Baloch believes the Floyd Mayweather-Conor Mcgregor fight was inspiring for the local boxers in Pakistan, and even had an effect on his club players in the locality as small as Faqir Coloni in Orangi Town besides Lyari, Karachi.

Mayweather-Mcgregor fight which was billed as the biggest bout with estimated earnings by Mayweather to be US $100m and for challenger and debutant in boxing McGregor to be US $30m, and the idea of seeing a boxer fighting the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter was more than lucrative.

For Nadir, nick named Hulk, the fight was a proof that a legend never dies.

For this fight Mayweather, was coming out of his retirement after two years while UFC champion McGregor was eager to milk the former's fame and legacy for being the undefeated boxer throughout his career.

"It is inspiring is many ways," Nadir told The Express Tribune, who will be fighting a Universal Boxing Bout in Quetta next month. "I've been the biggest fan of Mayweather's. He has always been my idol and this fight only proves that boxing is about the passion, the craziness and age really doesn't matter."

The Mayweather-McGregor fight ended in 10th round in which Mayweather won on technical knock-out.

Nadir explained that although most of the fans in boxing community were unable to see the fight on television, they were hooked to the mobile phones and laptops in order to get details of the bout.

"I was on Instagram and other social media, scavenging whatever little detail that I could and then pass it on to my friends; in fact all of us were in the training club and we were eager to see the result. I was also passing the information to my friends in Lyari and people were excited. Everyone was rooting for Mayweather. We knew Mayweather was too good for McGregor; of course it wasn't McGregor's field, it was Mayweather’s, so we were confident," said Nadir.

Nadir added that it is still a win-win for McGregor taking away the money, despite the defeat.

On the other hand, Pakistan World Bocing Council (WBC) silver flyweight champion Muhammad Waseem had predicted that McGregor will see a knock-out from Mayweather.

Before the fight he had said, "There is more chance of McGregor getting disqualified or knocked-out then winning this bout. Boxing is a tougher sport than MMA: it’s restricting and McGregor will face problem against the best boxer in the world. Mayweather is a talent that comes in ages, McGregor is only benefiting from the fight even if he loses; in fact there isn't much stake in this fight at all."