Floyd Mayweather Warns Khabib Nurmagomedov, Calls Conor McGregor a 'Warrior'

Floyd Mayweather Jr. offered a word of warning to Khabib Nurmagomedov on Monday ahead of the latter's UFC 229 clash with Conor McGregor.

Mayweather refused to give a prediction in his interview with TMZ Sports, but he said Khabib will have his hands full:

"I don't really have a prediction because I've never seen the guy fight that's facing Conor McGregor—from what I know he's a hell of a guy that's on the ground—hell of a grappler—and he can wrestle.

"But, the fans want to see you stand up and fight. That's what the fans like to see. But, Conor McGregor, he's a tough competitor, like I said before Conor McGregor's not gonna back down from anyone, he's not scared, he's a warrior."

Last year, Mayweather beat McGregor by 10th-round technical knockout in a boxing match in McGregor's first professional boxing fight.

Mayweather and McGregor talked plenty of trash leading up to their fight, but they seemed to have gained respect for each other in the aftermath.

That notion was supported by Mayweather on Monday when he suggested that McGregor train at his gym in Las Vegas prior to UFC 229 in October: "I know that UFC got a training facility but we'd like for him to work out at the Mayweather Boxing Club."

The UFC 229 bout will be McGregor's first UFC fight since beating Eddie Alvarez by knockout at UFC 205 in November 2016 to win the lightweight title, which was later stripped from him due to inactivity.

While the Irishman boasts a 21-3 record, Nurmagomedov may present the toughest challenge of his MMA career at a perfect 26-0 and as the holder of the lightweight title.

Regardless of the challenge in front of him, Mayweather is confident McGregor will be up for it at UFC 229: "Conor's not gonna back down and he's not a scared fighter at all, win, lose or draw. Conor gonna come to fight."

If McGregor beats Nurmagomedov in October, he will become the first fighter in UFC history to hold the lightweight title on multiple occasions.