Conor McGregor to Floyd Mayweather: Show me the ‘Money’ — VIDEO
While Conor McGregor is busy preparing in hopes of avenging a loss to Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC 202 at T-Mobile Arena on Aug. 20, the Irish superstar hasn’t yet closed the door on a potential bout against boxing star Floyd Mayweather Jr.
In fact, McGregor says he has Mayweather hard at work trying to put the deal together.
“Right now, I have Floyd running around the Showtime offices gathering my money,” McGregor said before a workout Friday night at his gym in Southwest Las Vegas. “That’s what he’s doing. He’s running around the Showtime offices, begging those executives to come up with the $100 million cash he needs to fight me. As soon as he gets my money, we can fight.”
Of course, it’s not that simple.
McGregor has a long-term deal with the UFC and the mixed martial arts organization would likely have to co-promote, or at least sign off on, any potential boxing match.
It’s highly doubtful the undefeated boxer would agree to an MMA bout against McGregor.
“Look, If you want to fight me, we can fight,” McGregor reiterated. “If you need a specific rule set to protect you from a true fight, that’s no problem. Just make sure that money is there. As long as that money is there, we can fight under your safe set of rules. With me, I don’t need rules. I am the (expletive) rules.
“If he comes forward with the cash, we can have a knock no problem.”
McGregor doesn’t blame Mayweather for not wanting to engage in an MMA bout. He acknowledges the sports are vastly different.
“I don’t really hold it against him,” McGregor said. “I wouldn’t want to come into my world. No way. How is he going to come into my world? He’s a novice where I come from. He’s a phenomenal boxer, phenomenal athlete and an intelligent businessman. But he’s a novice in true fighting. That’s just simple fact. I don’t blame him for trying to make this under boxing rules.”
Rumors of the potential bout surfaced earlier in the year when McGregor was pulled from his scheduled rematch with Diaz after he refused to fly to Las Vegas for a promotional appearance.
McGregor’s public spat with UFC officials helped fuel speculation that Mayweather and McGregor could meet for the largest payday in combat sports history.
It also helped keep two of the most savvy self-promoters in all of sports in the headlines despite neither fighter having a bout scheduled.
The rumors died down when McGregor agreed to the rematch with Diaz, who submitted McGregor in March.
McGregor said he doesn’t need Mayweather to make history.
“Everyone wants to talk about rules, everyone’s looking at weight, everyone’s cherry-picking opponents,” McGregor said. “I’m out here getting ready to fight a man that holds a win over me and has 30 pounds on me. Look around the fight game. Nobody else is doing this.”
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.
