ODDS as long as 100/1 are available on Conor McGregor pulling off one of sport’s greatest ever upsets this weekend as he takes on boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in his first ever bout.
Few observers outside of Ireland have McGregor down with any serious chance of beating Mayweather, but the Irishman can take inspiration from a number of incredible underdog success stories in recent times.
So with the ‘Billion Dollar Bout’ just around the corner, here are seven of the greatest sporting upsets ever…
1. Northern Ireland stun Spain on their own turf (1982)
In the 1982 World Cup, Northern Ireland pulled off their most celebrated footballing achievement in Spain's own back yard – Valencia's Luis Casanova Stadium.
That the Irish had to play most of the game with 10 men after Mal Donaghy was sent off made the triumph all the more impressive.
Gerry Armstrong's famous goal against flailing goalkeeper Luis Arconada ensured an unforgettable win for manager Billy Bingham’s men against all the odds.
2. Ireland defeat England in first-ever qualification success (1988)
The year 1988 marked the Republic of Ireland’s first ever appearance in a major tournament, and the qualification campaign saw the Irish pull off one of the biggest upsets in their history.
Against a Three Lions side boasting the likes of Gary Lineker, Bryan Robson and Peter Shilton, Liverpool legend Ray Houghton looped a famous header beyond the England keeper.
The unlikely victory was especially memorable for Ireland manager Jack Charlton, who was turned down by England as their national coach back in 1977.
3. Buster Douglas knocks out a young Mike Tyson (1990)
Buster Dougal was (unsurprisingly) a 42-1 shot to win his 1990 Tokyo bout against a young Mike Tyson in his prime back in 1990.
Tyson was by far the most feared boxer in the world at the time, so there was a fair deal of shock when Douglas knocked him flat onto the canvas with a single right hook.
In commentator Jim Lampley's words, it was “the biggest upset in the history of heavyweight championship fights." Douglas held the title for eight months until he lost to Evander Holyfield – who infamously had his ear bitten off by Tyson in 1977.
4. Clare win their first title since World War One (1992)
Back in 1992, Clare shocked the world of GAA by defeating Kerry in the Munster final to win only their second ever provincial senior title – the first coming in 1917.
Although they went on to lose their All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin, Clare’s unlikely victory has been described as a “Munster miracle” in the intervening years.
Clare’s win broke down barriers across the football and hurling landscape in Ireland – allowing other teams to dare to dream.
5. Greece winning the EUROs (2004)
There are few more unprecedented stories of triumph than Greece’s European Championship win back in 2004.
Little was expected of Otto Rehhagel’s men for their campaign – but the Greeks surpassed all expectations to beat reigning champions France in the quarters, Czech Republic in the semis and finally an astonishing 1-0 victory against hosts Portugal in the final.
The unprecedented victory epitomised what everyone loves about sport – the excitement of the unknown and the possibility that anything can happen.
6. Donegal’s shock All-Ireland triumphs (2012/2014)
When Jim McGuinness brought home the All-Ireland for Donegal in 2012, it marked an unprecedented upset for the side ranked 17th in Ireland.
For comparison, Leicester City finished 14th in England the season before their famous Premier League win – so Donegal were even greater underdogs in one sense.
Two years later, Donegal pulled off an improbable triumph once again as they beat Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final – a surprise success which hit Irish bookmakers for over €1million.
7. Tyson Fury stuns Wladimir Klitschko (2015)
The fight itself may not have been a classic but British boxer Tyson Fury’s win over fighting legend Wladimir Klitschko shocked the sporting world in 2015.
It was a historical upset given Klitschko’s near 10-year title reign and impressive streak of title defences – third all-time behind Joe Louis and Larry Holmes.
Though a victory for Conor McGregor would easily outshine Fury’s unexpected feat, it remains one of the biggest shocks in heavyweight boxing’s history.
8. Chicago Cubs claim the World Series (2016)
2016 was the year of the underdog in many ways – from Leicester’s Premier League title win, to Brexit and Donald Trump’s election as President – it was a torrid year for the bookies.
Add Chicago Cubs to that list. Last year, they ended one of the longest ‘curses’ in sport by claiming their first World Series in 108 years.
The ‘Billy Goat Curse’ – named after a goat that was denied entry to the Cubs’ last World Series Final – was the longest drought in baseball history.
9. Leicester City become Premier League Champions (2016)
It’s easy to forget that Leicester City had only been in the Premier League for a single campaign before their unprecedented title victory last summer.
The Foxes were an eye-watering 5,000-1 to become champions at the beginning of the season – with one prescient punter taking home £250,000 on a 75p bet after he cashed out.
In a sense, Leicester’s historic title triumph marked the end of a Premier League era. With the average transfer fee having almost doubled in the year since their win, it’s unlikely such an improbable feat will ever be pulled off again – at least until Conor McGregor steps into the ring on Saturday night (maybe).
See More: Conor McGregor, Featured, Underdog Stories, World Sport
