As is usually the case, most people are focused upon the RESULT of the Mayweather/McGregor bout last night. The truth is, to anyone familiar with both sports, the RESULT was never in serious doubt — all-rounders generally don’t step into the domain of a refined specialist and beat them in that domain. The result was never the interesting feature of this bout.

What IS interesting is the ramifications of the MMA vs boxing debate. As I have seen so many times in similar match ups in the gym, the MMA athlete did quite well early in the match and can create a competitive first few rounds. However, there is a dramatic difference in energy expenditure on the part of the MMA athlete versus the more efficient boxer. As such, there is an inevitable change over as the match progresses. Mr Mayweather was doubtless aware that this would occur and waited patiently for the mid/later rounds to switch from a passive game to one of forward aggression.

What has become clear however, is this — ELITE MMA ATHLETES ARE CONSIDERABLY BETTER EQUIPT TO HANDLE A BOXER’S GAME THAN BOXERS ARE TO HANDLE AN MMA FIGHTER’S GAME. There is almost no chance an elite boxer could get to a tenth round with an elite MMA athlete. Even if the bout permitted kicks and elbows/knees in the clinch, the outcome would almost certainly be different. If takedowns and ground work were allowed it would be over in seconds — any one of the innumerable clinches in the fight would be an immediate takedown from which a boxer is extremely unlikely to recover.

Mr McGregor may have (predictably) lost the bout, but he won something much bigger. He showed that the endless criticism of MMA in standing striking over the years is grossly exaggerated. At elite levels they are highly competent and can provide a good match for a time with even the best boxers in the boxers’ domain. The daring Irishman may have lost a bout, but he won the cultural war between boxing and MMA and showed clearly that he can do far better in their domain than they can in his. For the courage, self belief and skill it took for him to do that, he can always count me as a fan.