Usain Bolt v a bear

They say you can’t outrun a bear.

If anyone can, though, it’s surely the fastest man on the planet.

Humans have run alongside animals in the past, but only with considerable head-starts.

Bryan Habana took on a cheetah, while Jesse Owens used to race horses after his athletics career ended.

That’s why we’re proposing less of a race, and more of a chase.

Position the bear behind Bolt, set them off at the same time and let’s test another theory: do you really run faster when your life depends on it?

You’ve got nothing else left to prove, Usain. Make it happen.

Conor McGregor v a kangaroo

Should McGregor upset the odds and beat Floyd Mayweather, his next challenge should be taking on the animal kingdom’s most celebrated prizefighter.

Kangaroos are often painted as boxers, but, like McGregor, they are actually true mixed martial artists and rely on powerful kicks to the legs and body to do their damage.

The UFC lightweight champion would hold a significant height and reach advantage over the average red kangaroo, as they stand at around 5ft 9in and have short arms that are inconvenient for fighting, at least.

But the marsupial’s enormous weight – males can grow up to 90kg – would make them extremely difficult for McGregor to knock out with his famous left hand.

Due to their tendency to disembowel their foes, the roo’s sharp claws would probably have to be confined to some 10oz gloves.

We still make the Australian the clear favourite, though.

‘The Mountain’ v a gorilla

Professional strongman and Game of Thrones star Hafthor Julius ‘The Mountain’ Bjornsson is all over YouTube performing ridiculous – and, frankly, unnecessary – feats of strength.

Europe’s strongest man has pulled a truck and even a plane, but can he out-pull the undisputed king of the apes in a game of tug of war?

To be honest, probably not.

The gorilla is the world’s strongest mammal in terms of power to weight ratio. They can weigh up to 200kg and are said to be able to lift as much as 10 times that.

You’d have to fancy one against Bjornsson, who weighs a relatively scrawny 183kg and whose record deadlift is only – yes, only – 450kg.

Tug of war is about more than strength, though, and Bjornsson’s superior tactical mind might give him a fighting chance.

Tom Daley v a falcon

The peregrine falcon is the world’s fastest-moving animal, diving for its prey at an incredible 240mph.

But the sport of diving is not about how quickly you reach the water, it’s about the grace and elegance with which you enter it.

For that reason, Daley is very much the home side of this clash. You’d be hard-pressed to find a falcon that can perform a piked triple-somersault and nail the landing.

This match-up would depend on someone’s ability to train a falcon to actually enter the water.

Should that happen, it would surely be competitive, as the bird’s 1kg frame would surely make a small splash.