LAS VEGAS — The world finally had the two of them contained Saturday night, in a roped-off ring where they had to remain silent and just get on with it. Two mouthy welterweights, neither the best role model for his respective legion of young fans, throwing mocking looks and punches in a spectacle of the inevitable.
Conor McGregor, 29, a Dubliner more famous in some circles than James Joyce, entered the ring first; he is a mixed martial arts champion who was undefeated in professional boxing because he had never fought a round. Following soon after was Floyd Mayweather Jr.