Conor McGregor Talks Up '$0.5 Billion' Floyd Mayweather Fight, Convinced of KO
UFC interim featherweight champion Conor McGregor has revealed he’d be keen to make the biggest fight in history with undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a potential clash of styles, insisting a bout between the pair could generate up to $500 million.
In an in-depth interview with Donald McRae of the Guardian, the Irishman, who knocked out Chad Mendes in thrilling style during his previous outing, opened up about his rise to prominence and his new life in Las Vegas. But it’s talk of Mayweather that will prick the ears of fight fans:
"Why would he take me on? But if you’re talking about a fight that could generate half a billion—it’s this one. There’s never going to be another boxing fight like this. Only a cross-style match between Mayweather and me could generate that kind of interest and revenue.
So maybe it could happen. I would certainly be up for it. I am capitalising on every single opportunity. It’s a strong word, one of my favourite words: capitalise. I’m ready to capitalise on everything.
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McGregor’s rise to a household name has come on the back of a recent boom in the popularity of UFC, with characters like himself and women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey luring a new demographic to the sport. But despite its surge in popularity, Mayweather remains the most lucrative sportsman on the planet.
As FightNights.com notes, there’s an interest from fans in potential crossover bouts:
It’s something Mayweather and Rousey have been sparring over recently, with the latter insisting she would beat anyone, including the boxer, in a ruleless fight, per ESPN.com.
Mayweather’s response? "I've yet to see any MMA fighter, or other boxer, make over $300 million in 36 minutes," per Gareth A Davies of the Daily Telegraph. "When she can do that, then call me."
McGregor admitted Floyd would be far too strong in a boxing match, but he predicted that if the two were to square off in a "real fight," there'd be only one winner:
"In a real fight I would dismantle him in seconds. Ronda would dismantle him in seconds—100 percent. When you don’t know how to grapple you don’t stand a chance.
For us, it’s like playing with a baby. People who don’t understand the sport cannot understand how vulnerable they are. There are always clinches and Ronda is a judo Olympian. She would throw Floyd on his head in a second. Me? I would knock him out. Cold.
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At this juncture, any potential bout is pure speculation. Mayweather is set to fight for the final time against Andre Berto in September. According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole, McGregor will face Jose Aldo at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in December at UFC 194.
While Mayweather has proved to be one of the biggest draws in world sport, as Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter notes here, some fights scheduled for UFC showpieces down the line look tantalising:
If any event were to be staged between McGregor and Mayweather, it would attract plenty of interest. But to top $500 million would take some doing, especially with no precedent for cross-style bouts and no title on the line for the winner. The logistics of conjuring a fair discipline that would intertwine both sports would be problematic too.
While Floyd may be insistent the fight with Berto is his "last dance," per Davies, McGregor is at the start of an upward trajectory with UFC.
There are plenty of challenges for the Irishman to focus on in the years to come, and while he may never be a money-making machine comparable to Mayweather, there are many who will argue watching McGregor in action represents far better value for their outlay.
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