Duck and Weave: Boxing Meets MMA
One is a champion boxer, the other a feisty mixed-martial-arts superstar. They will clash today in Las Vegas in what is being billed as the most lucrative fight in history. Floyd Mayweather, an American veteran, stands to make $200m. Conor McGregor, an Ultimate Fighting Championship legend with no professional boxing experience, stands to earn $100m. Some 50m Americans, and millions more around the world, are expected to watch the pay-per-view spectacle. Multi-million-dollar bouts rarely live up to the hype as boxers tend to dodge each other rather than trade blows. Knockouts feature prominently in pre-fight trash-talkingbut seldom in the ring. The World Boxing Association has refused to sanction the fight, calling it an “exhibition”. Purists are more dismissive still, calling it a circus. No matter, there is history to be made: Mayweather, the favourite, is chasing a record 50 wins, the most by any undefeated boxer. Ding!
duck /dʌk/: vi. (头部) 躲闪
weave /wiːv/: vi. (身体) 躲闪
mixed-martial- /ˈmɑːʃ(ə)l/ arts: adj. 综合格斗的
clash /klaʃ/: vi. 冲突
be billed /bɪld/ as: 被宣传为......
lucrative /ˈluːkrətɪv/: adj. 赚钱的
veteran /ˈvɛt(ə)r(ə)n/: n. 资深人士；经验丰富的人
legend /ˈlɛdʒ(ə)nd/: n. 传奇人物
spectacle /ˈspɛktək(ə)l/: n. 比赛；表演；景观
live up to: 名副其实
hype /hʌɪp/: n. 夸张宣传；虚假宣传
dodge /dɒdʒ/: vt. 躲避
knockout /ˈnɒkaʊt/: n. 击倒
prominently /ˈprɒmɪnəntli/: adv. 举足轻重地；主要地；重要地
trash-talking: n. 言语交锋；呛话
sanction /ˈsaŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n/: vt. 批准
dismissive /dɪsˈmɪsɪv/: adj. 轻蔑的
circus /ˈsəːkəs/: n. 马戏表演
some. But you go in, you challenge
yourself, you become a better
man, a better individual,
a better fighter."
