The drums are beating louder for the proposed super-fight between boxing icon Floyd Mayweather and the biggest name in MMA, Conor McGregor.
Reports on an Irish boxing website last week suggested the fight was on the brink of being announced, with a US$115 million (NZ$208 million) purse agreed upon between the two.
Despite Mayweather knocking down the rumours on social media on Friday [NZ time], USA Today boxing analyst Mike Coppinger believes that's just a smokescreen, and the fight is more likely than not.
"A few months ago I thought it was a joke but I really think it's going to happen now, " Coppinger told RadioLIVE.
"The talk is getting stronger and stronger, the Las Vegas commission have said they would sanction the fight and although there are still hurdles to be jumped there is too much money to be made for it not to happen."
Speaking on Sunday Sport with Andrew Gourdie and Jim Kayes, Coppinger said that when the fight was first mooted in August 2016 he suspected it was just a case of Mayweather seeking the spotlight. And after talking with the undefeated retired champion, he believes the fight is a no-brainer.
"Mayweather clearly misses the attention.
"He misses the lights and everything that goes with it, and I think he is just bored and this would be a massive payday with very low risk with high reward."
Coppinger said it's a reflection on the lack of any marketable fight for Mayweather with a current welterweight that he would target the UFC light heavyweight champion.
"It says something for the lack of stars in boxing right now, let's be straight - boxing doesn't have any stars apart from Floyd Mayweather who is retired, and Conor McGregor is bigger than any fighter in boxing right now - let's be honest."
A major factor in whether the fight will take place or not is McGregor's current UFC status, and whether or not the company would be willing to allow its biggest star to step into the world of boxing.
MMA Today's Mike Bohn said this would be the thing most likely to prevent the showdown between combat sport's two biggest starts from coming to fruition.
"The UFC is standing in the way," Bohn told RadioLIVE. "Although they have a lot of debt to make up and this would be a mighty good way to do that, for all three parties - the UFC, Mayweather and McGregor - to come together and get this thing done, I'm not sure they could figure it all out."
However Bohn said if a deal can be done the fight could end up second to only Mayweather vs Pacquiao as the biggest in the history of the sport.
"The crossover appeal of having a current MMA champion going into fight one of the greatest boxers of all time - I think that would have a lot of people interested - and it would be one of the biggest combat sport events in history."
Bohn doesn't think a loss to Mayweather in a boxing fight would harm McGregor's long term MMA future or his popularity, but said a win for the Irishman is extremely unlikely.
"I don't think it would be too damaging to his reputation really, and he is getting a massive payday, even if he goes in there and gets stopped.
"As long as he's not completely embarrassed I can't see it hurting his reputation too much, so it's a win-win for McGregor.
"Floyd Mayweather would be a massive favourite."
Newshub.
