Why Mayweather-McGregor could distract from MMA’s efforts to get mainstream to take it seriously

There’s always a sense of danger when the circus rolls into town. It’s the fear of what might go wrong.

So it is with Mayweather-McGregor.

We’re talking about its impact on the image of mixed martial arts. Boxing long ago descended into farce, with shady backroom deals and dubious decisions blighting both the professional and amateur sides of the sport.

There’s hope for a resurrection among the faithful, fanned by the rise of unified champion Anthony Joshua and a heavyweight division that might just be getting serious once again. But for the most part boxing long ago became its own worst enemy, offering cattle-class service for a the price of a first-class ticket.

There’s distinct irony in the fact that MMA has spent a good deal of the past decade trying to get the mainstream to take it seriously, to cast off the image it originally had of being a freak show (often with mismatched, cross-martial arts bouts that backed that theory up).

The worry for MMA now is that things go back to where they all began.