The Monthly Sports Agenda – August 2017
MAYWEATHER V MCGREGOR
Not many of us wouldn’t get in the ring with Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather for a reported $180 million US and loudmouth Irishman Conor McGregor has the chance to make some dubious history. The fight between the undefeated Mayweather and the UFC drawcard is set to break all sorts of commercial records and the American can tick up another win to take him to 50-0 in his professional career. Many pundits see the result as a clear cut victory to Mayweather as his technical abilities will be too much for the cage brawler who will be fighting under boxing’s more ‘civil’ rulebook. Whatever happens in the ring, the sheer peripheral hype that will encompass the event will be ground breaking.
KIWI CONTINGENT AT IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
New Zealand athletics is in the midst of a renaissance and a good handful of athletes are medal chances at the World Champs. London will play host to the biggest athletics event outside of the Summer Olympics and featuring in the black singlets will be pole-vaulter Eliza McCartney, veteran middle distance runner Nick Willis and Olympic bronze medallist Tom Walsh in the shotput. New Zealand’s four medals at the Rio Games last year was a breakthrough for an athletics program that continues to go from strength to strength. Also reason to watch is sprint phenom Usain Bolt who is winding down his dominant career, yet is still the man to beat.
ALL BLACKS LOOK TO CONTINUE SOUTH HEMISPHERE DOMINANCE
After the saturation during the epic Lions tour, you’ll just about be ready for some more Test rugby…..maybe. Pushed to the brink and made to look ordinary by Warren Gatland’s men, Steve Hansen’s squad received a timely wakeup call and they won’t want the Wallabies and Springboks thinking they have spotted an opening. The All Blacks will want to reassert their position in this half of the world and continue a 15 year Bledisloe Cup run as well as keep the South Africans and Argentinians at bay. Australian coach, Michael Cheika, might be talking up a good game but it’s no secret the code across the ditch isn’t in good health. The Rugby Championship kicks off at the tail end of the month with back-to-back matches against the Aussies in Sydney then Dunedin.
Have Lunch With The Lads For a Good Cause
Get the guys together at the end of August for food and good times at Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen on Sales Street, while also helping out a good cause.
This isn’t just any old lunch now. Prepare yourselves for a five-course degustation long lunch presented by rugby legend Ian Jones with Sweat Shop beers and Soho wines, live entertainment and the opportunity to grab money-can’t-buy auction items with all funds raised going to Big Buddy.
Big Buddy is an New Zealand charity that brings together fatherless boys that need male role models in their lives. While the mentoring program is always on the lookout for mentors to step up and guide our kiwi kids, they also need some help keeping things ticking over. The long lunch at Sweat Shop on the 25th of August is a perfect way to help out.
Tickets are $160 each, but you can get in quick with a group of ten for $1500. They’re going to sell out, so don’t muck about.
Find out more at sweatshopbrew.co.nz/whats-on/