Conor McGregor says he wouldn’t be surprised if he KO’d Floyd Mayweather in 10 seconds. This seems generous of McGregor – why even grant Mayweather 10 seconds?

After all, the brash fighter nicknamed "the Notorious" has never been shy about tooting his own horn. Last November McGregor became one of the only mixed martial arts fighters to hold UFC Championship titles in two different weight classes, and it was hard to imagine how the incredible fighter and even better showman would top himself. Conor called himself the Double Champ, held both title belts high over his head, and apologized "for absolutely fookin’ nuttin’" in his famous Irish brogue.

Many fans, especially those who only loosely follow combat sports, wondered aloud whether McGregor could beat Mayweather in a boxing match, while dedicated fans of combat sports generally dismissed the question. Prominent MMA journalist Ariel Helwani characterized the inquiry as disrespectful -- as Helwani told it at the time, fans should be in awe of what McGregor had accomplished within the sport of MMA, and it was foolish and unnecessary to measure him against an athlete from a different sport.

Less than one year later, McGregor’s next fight is indeed the improbable matchup pitting the uber-charismatic Irishman against the scandalous (briefly) retired boxing champion Floyd Mayweather. Analysts now seem to be divided on how to view the fight. Many insiders and analysts see the fight as a sham; journalist Dave Meltzer (who has covered MMA since its pre-infancy) has repeatedly decried the Nevada State Athletic Commission for sanctioning the bout between a 49-0 fighter that many consider to be the greatest tactician ever, and an 0-0 boxer who is essentially a promising amateur when it comes to the sweet science. The esteemed MMA fight analyst Jack Slack has said he wouldn’t bet on McGregor by KO unless the Mayweather camp itself himself told him that the fix was in.

Not everyone "in the know" is holding his nose at the fight. Helwani himself has done a 180 since the fight actually materialized, and has used his weekly MMA talk show (the MMA Hour) as a platform to analyze (or promote) the fight as if it is the generational super-fight that Showtime and the UFC would like the public to believe it is. He has trotted out guests ranging from McGregor’s coaches to Showtime’s executives, all clamoring about how legitimate and unpredictable the matchup will be.

A fan might wonder whom to believe. How can some respected analysts be selling this as not just a good fight, but as a "fight of the century," while others spin this not just as a weird matchup, but as a full-blown sham that never should have been sanctioned? Should fans be excited, or cynical?

I’ve struggled to answer this question myself; on the one hand, I know better. I know that as much as it is possible to predict the outcome of a boxing match, not only is Mayweather’s victory all but guaranteed, but it is unlikely that McGregor will be able to deliver even a single moment of gratification to his millions of adoring fans.

But at the same time, that isn’t any fun. When McGregor says he could dust Mayweather within 10 seconds, it is more fun to believe that McGregor’s threats to do the impossible have some bite. When Mayweather says that his legacy is at stake, it’s more fun to believe that he is taking a huge gamble than an incredibly safe fight to add a 50th win to his 49-0 record. When brief clips of McGregor beating on retired former WBC Champion Paulie Malignaggi are leaked by UFC President Dana White, it’s more fun to believe we are seeing confirmation that McGregor can hang with real boxers, than to question whether the brief excerpted video is all smoke and mirrors.

Ultimately, the outcome of the fight is extremely predictable, almost pre-determined. The fight exists solely as a spectacle of hype; it is entertainment, not sport; but what is wrong with that? I may not believe the analysts who claim that McGregor has a puncher’s chance, but I can still indulge in the fantasy they are selling.

Indeed, Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather is a pro wrestling match. And while the whole world tunes in to see this generation’s version of Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, I would rather be the person asking "Do you really think Andre can be body slammed?" than the person asking "Don’t you know this is all fake?"