(¥ Opening the door to opportunity And more! Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor: The last hope for boxing > One of the few headline-making boxing matches, and why it matters Greg Waldock Staff Writer oyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao became (even more of) household names two years ago as their fight—which was much hyped-up by sports media— came to a dull and anticlimactic end. This follows roughly a decade of falling ratings and disappointing venue turnouts, leading many dramatic sports websites to declare it the “end of boxing.” Now, the sport has another chance to return to the American limelight as MMA champion Conor McGregor faces off against boxing champion Mayweather. It’s another hyped-up match, and one starting out with just as much controversy as what the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight ended with. Floyd Mayweather is one of the most skilled and accomplished boxers in the history of the sport. The accuracy of his punches is unparalleled, his technique is sharp and flawless, and his out-of-game personality is in line with boxing tradition: loud, obnoxious, and aggressive. Both before and after the Pacquiao fight, Mayweather made multiple inflammatory and insulting comments about his opponent, including calling him a “sore loser” and using some racial slurs, among similar statements. Though this behaviour is nothing new to the sport, it did add to the media perception of boxing as an outdated sport past its prime. Despite retiring after the fight, Mayweather is an athlete and still very much represents classic boxing, with tightness and control being key, while also being a hugely controversial figure outside of the game. Given that, it makes thematic sense that his opponent would be an outsider. Enter Conor McGregor, one of the most famous athletes in the last half decade. A long-time UFC champion and one of the most decorated MMA fighters around, McGregor represents the competition to boxing: a rival American martial arts sport, and one with considerably less controversy in judging and rulings. McGregor already has a history with Mayweather, having challenged him a few times over the years, and now he’s succeeded in drawing him out of retirement for a match already (and pre- emptively) being called “The Fight of the Century” Though it’s almost universally expected that Mayweather will win the fight by a considerable margin due to McGregor’s lack of experience in the field of boxing, the match holds undeniable symbolic meaning. As pay-per-view earnings fall and ratings plummet for boxing, McGregor vs. Mayweather will likely be the fight to determine whether or not boxing has finally, like most of its greatest champions, decided to hang up the gloves. Representing the future AU TBI = (a ae of fighting sports is the young and hotheaded McGregor. His opponent, the veteran Mayweather, is calm, calculated, and ruthless, everything that boxing is known for. It makes sense that the athletes representing their sports are among the greatest to ever perform in them. Though the headline may say Understanding the money gap > Why are star players in different sports paid so differently? Davie Wong Sports Editor [: been an exciting off season across the board of sports. Several massive contract extension have lined up the opportunity for this article! In particular, I'll be looking at the Connor McDavid contract extension, and the Stephen Curry contract extensions. In many ways, McDavid and Curry play similar roles for their teams and organizations. McDavid has quickly become the face of the Edmonton Oilers since being drafted two years ago, and has nearly single handedly lead the team back into the playoffs and being Stanley Cup contenders. While he is no Crosby, with this contact extension, he’s paid just as muchas him. In total, he’s set to make an average of $12.5 million dollars of over the next 8 years. Now compare him to Stephen Curry, who recently received a $200 million dollar contract extension that will pay him an average of $40 million over the next 5 years. Both players are elite athletes with similar positions within their respective organizations and leagues. Yet why does Curry make more than three times as much as McDavid? Or better yet, why do NBA player make much more than NHL players in general? For many, it’s a money gap that simply doesn’t make sense. However, it’s a whole lot more common than you would think. Stephen Curry makes $40 million annually. Lionel Messi makes € 40 million euro annually, and that’s without his bonuses throughout several competitions. It’s more like $60 million euro in a good year, which is about $70 and a half million US dollars. And this is still without sponsorships and endorsement deals on both ends. At the end of the day, they both make tons of money. But why do soccer players make more than any athlete in the world? Well it really comes down to the state of the league. The NHL and NFL are limited under a salary cap, which set the total amount a team can be spending on the salaries of a players. Furthermore, the NHL has a maximum for which players can make in salary money. Obviously this is a huge contributor to the pay gap between sports. The NBA also has a salary cap, but unlike the aforementioned NFL and NHL, it is not a hard cap. Teams can surpass the salary cap if the organization pays a luxury tax that is split amongst the league. This is why players like Curry are able to make $40 million dollars annually. Bridging the gap over the big lake, European football clubs play without a salary cap, unlike their American counterparts. So the pay range fora player is nearly limitless. Sure, there are Photo via mmaweekly.com Mayweather vs. McGregor, it may as well say boxing vs. MMA. A showdown long in the making, this fight represents more than the will of two great men. It represents a changing of the guard. While MMA will undoubtedly continue on as the ever popular UFC, this may be boxing’s final bout of glory. After all, why not go out with a bang? economical rules that govern the leagues, but for the most part, the money keeps flowing. Players also often get bonuses based ona team’s performance in certain leagues or competitions. This further increases a player’s salary, although it isn’t guaranteed. More opportunities to earn a large paycheque is the biggest differential for the money gap between North American athletes and European soccer players. Ata baseline, much of the money comes from the organization. Factors such as ticket prices, popularity, merchandise sales, television deals, sponsorships, and endorsements all contribute to the salary of a player. Though the pay gap exists, it’s reflective of how much money is coming into a league. Could we ever see a massive contract like Stephen Curry’s in the NHL? Maybe someday, but there’s a long way to go.