Eight years and a few months later, UFC fans were introduced to mixed martial arts’ next generational superstar. It took the “Notorious” Conor McGregor one punch and all of 13 seconds to knock out Jose Aldo and become a household name and an overnight sensation. McGregor was arguably at the pinnacle of his career inside the Octagon when he perched himself six feet above the ground post-fight and looked casually around the MGM Grand for his next opponent.

Mayweather was supposed to hang up the gloves after his super fight with De La Hoya, and McGregor’s career after Aldo has seen him fight only four times in the UFC since 2015, two of which were losses.

Put the duo’s 2017 boxing match aside and these two moneymaking machines have done little lately when it comes to their actual professions, albeit not to the detriment of either’s bottom lines.

Dana White looking to get Conor McGregor on UFC 245 card – but no Dublin on December 14

Advertising flashy wristwatches and stoking social media wars with Manny Pacquiao – Mayweather has cracked the code in passively generating income. Controversy sells, clickbait headlines draw advertising dollars, and actually fighting in a boxing match is kind of besides the point these days.

McGregor, who watched his prime fighting years evaporate in just over three rounds as Khabib broke down the Irish loudmouth limb by limb, is now no more than a “money draw” who is milking previous talent for prolonged exposure.

He will probably never hold a title belt again, but the important thing to remember is that it is not expected to hurt Proper No 12 Irish Whisky sales.

It’s not easy retiring from sport, especially when you were one of the greatest. Just ask Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan or even Brett Favre. Fans don’t have patience or empathy for anything other than a storybook ending, even though they should. However, one thing they shouldn’t have is their favourite fighter tugging on their heartstrings for revenue and not actually delivering.

Nobody expects Mayweather or McGregor to head out to pasture, buy a plot of land and take fishing trips with their buddies as they reminisce and watch the sun set.

These guys are conflict-oriented souls who thrive on controversy, friction and spotlight hogging. That’s all fine and dandy, as long as you back it up inside your respective ring or cage periodically so we don’t start thinking this is all just crying wolf.

Alas, the numbers don’t lie and chances are both will be headline draws for a few more years, regardless of how much time they actually spend being pugilists. Ageing gracefully is a skill that requires reinvention. Fighters are not known for switching gears, and athletes in general can only be successful if they employ tunnel vision to their advantage.

While the Irishman needs a win desperately to stay relevant, Mayweather is simply diluting his legacy by fighting no names for pay cheques, given a final bout with Manny Pacquiao seems an expertly crafted optical illusion.

I don't know what I should expect from these two; all I know is I'm exhausted and tired of reading headlines about them that don't include a fight recap.

Riding off into the sunset is the most difficult thing for an athlete to do, though sad epilogues of superstars past their prime do nothing but create cringing and apathy.

Mayweather and McGregor were once brilliant fighters who made me stop whatever I was doing and plan a whole weekend around their fights.