McGregor fires back at Mayweather comments
It took a few days, but Ultimate Fighting Championship star Conor McGregor has responded to controversial comments made by Floyd Mayweather in an interview published earlier this week.
Mayweather told fighthype.com part of the success of McGregor and former UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was the fact they are white.
He said McGregor is beloved for the same outspoken bravado for which Mayweather has been vilified and indicated race was the only explanation.
McGregor didn't hold back in addressing the comments on social media on Friday.
"Floyd Mayweather, don't ever bring race into my success again. I am an Irishman. My people have been oppressed our entire existence. And still very much are. I understand the feeling of prejudice. It is a feeling that is deep in my blood. In my family's long history of warfare there was a time where just having the name 'McGregor' was punishable by death," McGregor posted on Facebook. "Do not ever put me in a bracket like this again."
He went on to issue a challenge to Mayweather.
"If you want we can organise a fight no problem," McGregor wrote. "I will give you a fair 80/20 split purse in my favour seen as your last fight bombed at every area of revenue.
"At 27 years of age I now hold the key to this game. The game answers to me now."
McGregor, the UFC featherweight champion, is expected to challenge Rafael dos Anjos for the lightweight belt at UFC 197 on March 5 in Las Vegas.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj
