Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. went on ESPN First Take yesterday and revealed shocking plans to put together a blockbuster crossover super fight against UFC lightweight champion “The Notorious” Conor McGregor in what would be his 50th professional boxing bout.
Mayweather, 39, hasn’t fought since outpointing welterweight Andre Berto in 2015. He announced his official retirement shortly after. But no one really believed it was the last fans would get to see of Mayweather.
McGregor on the other hand, is one of the most successful UFC fighters in history. He is the highest paid UFC fighter of all-time. In his last fight against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, McGregor raked in over $3.5-million.
His recent rise in popularity caught Mayweather’s attention. Suddenly the possibility of a fight against McGregor became very real.
Check Out Floyd Mayweather Claiming He Has Offered McGregor $15-M
Mayweather is 49-0 in boxing, but leaving his comfortable life in retirement and going for 50 is really enticing. As well as of course making upwards of at least a guaranteed $100-million if he does indeed make the bout with McGregor.
“I’m a businessman, and it makes business sense,” Mayweather told Stephen A. Smith.
“We tried to make the Conor McGregor fight. They know what my number is. My number is a guaranteed $100m. That was my number. We are willing to give him $15-million and then we can talk about splitting the percentage – the back end – on the pay-per-view.”
Due to the immense fan-following of both fighters, the fight makes absolute sense financially. Both fighters are huge draws in their respective sports and bringing together boxing fans and MMA fans in a single pay-per-view has the potential to do mind-blowing numbers.
McGregor obviously saw Mayweather’s ESPN appearance because he immediately took to Twitter to post a reaction. The Irishman posted a cartoon of himself standing over Mayweather on the canvas with all of his belts in possession.
