Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. The fight that is said to be the biggest fight in combat sports history moved a step forward. UFC President Dana White said early Thursday that negotiations are set on the McGregor side, now it’s Mayweather’s move.

McGregor confirmed the news on Instagram (with an ADORABLE photo with his newborn son, btw).

Let’s really take a look at this though. Financially, this is win for both fighters. Rumored purses are said to be upwards of $125 million for Mayweather and $75 million for McGregor. So, neither of them really lose in that department. But in terms of what you’re risking versus the reward, who has more to lose?

If McGregor Wins

During the early days of his rise in the UFC, fight fans doubted what McGregor was able to do in the cage. He had the talk, but could he back it up? Turns out, yes. He can. At the first thought of McGregor stepping into Mayweather’s world, fight fans natural reaction is that Mayweather will win because of his legacy.

How many people said that about Jose Aldo before losing the belt in 13 seconds at UFC 194? Or about Eddie Alvarez before UFC 205? That’s the thing with ‘The Notorious One’, you can’t count him out.

Should Conor leave the ring with his hand raised, Mayweather just scratched his undefeated, perfect 49-0 career. And it’s not even that he got handed his first professional loss, he lost to a guy who never fought professional boxing before. A mixed martial artist who he challenged to enter his world, and now lost too. Mayweather doesn’t need the money, so can you really put a price tag on that risk?

If Mayweather Wins

Should Mayweather improve his professional record to 50-0 and beat Rocky Marciano’s record, that would be a huge accomplishment. But, is it? 

Scoring a win over Conor McGregor in the ring doesn’t hold the same respect than if he had defeated a professional boxer. Fans will say, “well, yeah. Of course he won. Conor’s an MMA guy, not a boxer.” So what does winning really accomplish? As a professional boxer and legend, you did what you should of done by stepping in the ring with him. 

Conor will still get the respect for getting in the ring at all. Especially if it goes the distance, he would have just went 12-pounds with a boxing legend. Also remember, we’ve seen Conor lose before. We’ve heard that post-fight speech. That won’t have anyone’s jaws dropping to the floor. Mayweather losing though, will.

So, who has more to lose? Conor having an 0-1 professional boxing record and earning $75 million or Mayweather ruining his perfect, undefeated record but getting $125 million? I think the answer is pretty clear.

Don’t get too excited though. If there’s anything boxing has told us, its that just because a fight is “signed” and a “date is picked” does not mean it will happen any time soon.

Boxing loves to build anticipation (ex. Mayweather/Pacquio or GGG/Canelo). MMA however, loves to cash in on a big fight as soon as possible. Which promotion does it correctly? Personally, I think neither of them. But if this fight happens by the end of 2017, I think they may have found it.