Believe it or not, almost two weeks after it was first reported, the Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather superfight buzz is still alive and well.
As I touched in my inaugural ?MMA Biz? column, I find it extremely hard to believe that this fantasy matchup will ever come to fruition. Still, it?s impossible to ignore how much the UFC featherweight title-holder and 49-0 boxer are loading onto this hype train.
Both of their efforts ? along with cameos from Floyd Sr., Dana White and others ? have helped this rumor maintain its momentum as we creep closer to UFC?s next main event announcement. With White and Lorenzo Fertitta having met with McGregor Wednesday night in Los Angeles, don?t be surprised if the Irishman is penciled in for UFC 202 in short order.
Until that time comes, let?s follow along with all of the action, shall we?
Update: Monday, May 23
ESPN?s full ?Sunday conversation? with McGregor was released on May 22. In one portion of the Q&A, brash Irishman sounded off on the bout.
?It was him that leaked the rumor,? McGregor said of Mayweather. ?He gets $100 million, I get $7 million? That?s a pay cut to me. I don?t take pay cuts. ? He?s talking $100 million. I?m also talking $100 million. I?m 27 years of age and I?m just about halfway through a $100 million contract.? Recommended by Forbes This Week In MMA Biz: Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather Chatter, Dana White Denies… Conor McGregor UFC 200 Standoff Signals Shifting Power Structure In MMA
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?He needs me, I don?t need him. ? He fights someone else in the boxing realm, all of a sudden the pay goes from $100 million to $15 million. He needs me. If he wants to talk, we can talk, but it?s me who is in control here.?
So, to recap, McGregor claims he has made roughly $5o million thus far in his UFC career, and would want double that amount to fight Mayweather. McGregor also seemed to indicate that negotiations have not yet occurred, but if they did, that he would be the one calling the shots.
Update: Friday, May 20
TMZ is reporting that Mayweather has offered McGregor $50 million for a boxing match on New Year?s Eve, and that the UFC champ wants more. The report also alleges that Floyd has not yet reached out to Dana White.
Again, any negotiations between Mayweather and McGregor mean nothing unless White and the Fertitta brothers ? the UFC?s majority owners ? are on board. Even if they were, there would be several hang-ups to putting a cross-sport superfight like this together, especially within a seven-month timeframe. As White pointed out in his initial response to the rumors (see below), it took several years for Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao just to agree to terms on their high-profile bout.
Original Timeline:
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Friday, May 6: The Report
Floyd Mayweather promotes an April 1, 2016, fight between Ashley Theophane and Adrien Broner on Feb. 29, 2016, in Washington D.C. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
British tabloid newspaper The Sun breaks the story, claiming that the fight is set to take place in Las Vegas this summer.
Paperwork and fight purses ? a reported ?100million for Mayweather and ?7 million for McGregor ? were allegedly the only things standing in the way of the boxing match being booked.
False, but let?s carry on.
