White: McGregor-Mayweather ‘impossible’
In an interview on on the Russillo and Kannell show, White says that a McGregor-Mayweather matchup is ‘impossible’.
Let me put it to you this way. Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are in the same sport. It took how long for those two to fight? Now imagine how hard it would be to get [Mayweather and McGregor] to fight. They’re not in the same sport. Is this thing going to be MMA or boxing rules? Who’s getting the lion’s share of the money? This and that. It’s impossible. But like I’ve said, ‘Floyd, you want to fight Conor, call me.’
Mayweather: McGregor fight ‘absolutely’ will happen
In an interview with Showtime, Mayweather says that a fight with McGregor is going to happen.
It’s really not a rumor. The fight may happen. We really don’t know, as of right now. As of right now. But do I think the fight will happen? Absolutely…We’re the A-side, of course. It has to be a boxing match, because most fights that Conor McGregor won inside the Octagon, he was a stand-up guy. So I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be a tough fight for me. We really don’t know as of right now, but there’s been a lot of talk, and hopefully we can make the fight happen…One thing about Conor McGregor, he’s no pushover. He fell short in his last bout, but a true champion can always bounce back. So that’s a guy that I can’t overlook. But no numbers — we haven’t picked a venue, we haven’t talked about money yet…I’m gonna get $100 milion of course.
‘I run boxing’
McGregor adds to Mayweather-McGregor boxing match speculation with a Facebook post:
Mayweather: I’d come out of retirement to fight McGregor
Mayweather says he could come out of retirement to fight McGregor.
If I do fight, it’s only against Conor McGregor … not against nobody else. Because this match-up is so intriguing. You have (a boxer) against an MMA fighter – one of the best MMA fighters to ever. Stand up and do it. He’s a strong fighter, and when I look at his fights, he’s a little faster than I thought he was…When he kick ass, he kick ass in a stand-up position. I think in his last fight, the guy (Nate Diaz) was too heavy. But, he’s going to be OK. I think it will be so entertaining, if we can do it. If we can put a boxer with an MMA fighter. I can’t overlook that guy.We haven’t made the fight happen yet, but if we could tweak a few things, I’m sure we could get him, not a good pay-day, but a great pay-day…I’m pretty sure we’re going to have a master plan to make that fight happen. It hasn’t happened, yet, but we locked down some dates, me and my team, in different countries, in different cities in the United States. And you already know what my number is, $100million. That’s just the guarantee. We don’t talk about my number on the back end.
Report: Mayweather offers McGregor $50m to fight
TMZ reports that Mayweather has offered McGregor $50 million for a fight, which is to be held on New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas. The report says that Dan White has not been contacted by Mayweather, and that White may not accept such a deal because in three critical Pay-Per-View markets — Europe, Australia and Canada — McGregor is a bigger star than Mayweather. Forbes estimates that Mayweather earned $285 million for his bout against Pacquiao, who took home $125 million. McGregor reportedly earned about $10 million against Nate Diaz.
Rose: Mayweather-McGregor will happen in 2017
On his Jalen and Jacoby radio show, Rose says Mayweather-McGregor will happen in 2017, although he declines to name his sources.
I got some breaking news, the Floyd and McGregor fight is going to happen. Floyd and McGregor will probably announce in a month. It will be in May, the same weekend as the Kentucky Derby, in 2017. I’ve already booked my room in Vegas for the first weekend of May for this fight. The only way it doesn’t happen , is if the combatants and/or the business changes going forward. But as of now, all signs lead to this happening.
On McGregor’s contract:
Basically what they will do is that [the UFC] will get the same percentage as if he was fighting on a UFC card.
ESPN Sportscenter interview Part 2
In the second part of McGregor’s interview on ESPN Sportscenter, he talks to Mane about Mayweather.
I hear the boy talking. The leak came out. It was him that leaked it. He gets $100 million and I get $7 million. That’s a paycut to me. I don’t take paycuts. I thought boxing was where the money was at. $7 million is laughable. I’m also talking $100 million. Who doesn’t want to conquer both worlds? He’s getting old now. I have the size, I have the reach, I have the height. I have the youth. He needs me. I don’t need him. That’s the truth of it. He fights someone else in boxing realm, the pay goes from $100 million to $15 million. He needs me. If he wants to talk he can talk, but it’s me who’s in control here.
Cowherd: McGregor-Mayweather on Sept 17
Cowherd says on his show that Mayweather vs. McGregor will take place the weekend of Sept. 17, 2016, in Las Vegas.
I think Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather will be a lopsided fight. Mayweather is a boxer. Boxers can’t beat him. Conor McGregor is not going to beat him — it is a payday. I have already booked two rooms for Sept. 17 and 18 in Las Vegas, My intel is Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather is going to happen. It changed late last week. I got a call, then somebody else sent me something yesterday and Saturday and we booked rooms in Vegas….I don’t think it’s will be a good fight. But it will be an event.
Jeffries: McGregor can beat Mayweather
Jeffries says he was impressed by McGregor’s boxing ability.
He had really good boxing knowledge, amazing footwork, and he was very athletic and elusive. I thought his boxing was going to be amateur level, but he could beat a lot of professional fighters. Conor would beat some very high-talent professionals…I’ve totally changed my opinion. I thought about the [Mayweather] fight a lot. Conor, with how elusive he is and his style, he’s tough as well. What people don’t realise with Conor is that he’s got an iron jaw. Yes, he was rocked once by one of the best boxers in the UFC in Nate Diaz. He got caught with a solid right hand with a four-ounce glove. He got rocked, but who wouldn’t? I give him a shot [at beating Mayweather]. He’s fit, strong, has a tough chin, and one thing about Floyd is that he’s not a puncher, and they’re wearing bigger gloves. Floyd’s hardest fight was with Maidana. McGregor has a similar ‘rough’ sort of style. I don’t think it’s as one-sided as people think it is.
Diaz: McGregor-Mayweather talk cover up for an ‘ass whooping’
In an interview on MMA Hour, Diaz says the UFC is targeting the McGregor rematch for UFC 202. Diaz:
I’ll whoop both McGregor and Mayweather in the same night. Now they’re talking that Mayweather shit, it’s all a cover up. It’s all trying to hide the fact that he got his ass whooped and that they want to buy him more time to get better if we are going to fight. I think the Mayweather thing’s a publicity stunt…I’m the only one out of the three of us that will say I will whoop both of their asses in one night. Cause Conor can’t say that. Floyd definitely cannot say that. You want a real fight, put me with one of those boxers and I guarantee you I can beat them in boxing.
On fight negotiations with Dana White:
I said that was one of the biggest fights you’ve ever had on 10 days’ notice, and he’s the biggest draw that you’ve ever had and I just beat your biggest draw. So if you don’t mind, I would like to be compensated better than I was the last time or what they were trying to offer me.
Taunts Mayweather on Instagram
McGregor taunts Mayweather on Instagram.
I smell like a brand new car, wearing brand new clothes. Why would I ever give a f*ck, about you gossiping hoes. #TheFaceOfRollsRoyce#50Rolls#MoneyMcGregorWhatsFloydGonnaDo? #TakeAllTheirNames#DoNothing@rollsroycecarsna#ThanksForTheCheese
https://www.instagram.com/p/BF0aAjDrzjD/
Atlas: McGregor needs years of training to beat Mayweather
ESPN Boxing Ringside Analyst, Atlas, says that McGregor cannot beat Mayweather, even with years of training.
First off, I wouldn’t [train him]. He has no chance in a traditional boxing match. His only chance would be with MMA rules, where he could try to bring Floyd to the mat where he could — of course — easily be the victor. He would need about five years — and I’m being very generous and conservative — of boxing training and experience to even entertain the thought of being competitive with any A-plus-level boxer…If I did train him, at this point I’m not sure what I’d have him do, but I’m sure of what I would not have him do: I wouldn’t have him just attack like the caveman he tries to act like. Being aggressive [although there are many who would believe that is his one and only chance] would not be my advice. He would simply bring on his demise quicker, and you don’t attack a great defensive counter puncher, especially when you are so crude. I would have [him] try and get Floyd to come forward. Teach [McGregor] how to step back and counter, hoping to get Floyd to perhaps be so overconfident that he might be drawn into a trick punch. In other words, a sneak punch.
Roach: Mayweather says fight is going to happen
Roach says Mayweather visited his gym, and told him to coach McGregor if the fight is announced.
Mayweather did come out to my [Wild Card] gym last week, and he asked me to take that job if it’s offered. He told me the fight’s gonna happen, and we’re gonna make a lot of money. I told Mayweather that it would take me at least three years to get him ready to fight you. Conor McGregor’s a tough guy, but being a tough guy doesn’t really help you much! He looks like an OK boxer, but he’s almost like a beginner…I do know that Floyd’s been training at one of my gyms, and he’s been sparring with some of my professional fighters, and I hear he’s not doing too well with my professionals.
Posts Mayweather-McGregor poster
Mayweather posts an image of a poster for a fight with McGregor on Facebook. The poster is undated.
Nelson: McGregor won’t fight Mayweather in September
Nelson says McGregor will not fight Mayweather in September.
They are definitely hyping it up, both of them. Both of them are taking part in it so I think they’d definitely like to build it up – build up the money and make it happen at some point. But, I don’t know how it works with the UFC, they’d have to make some sort of contract with them and include them somehow because most of us know how the UFC deals (are). You can’t just go off and do a super-fight with Floyd Mayweather if you’re signed with the UFC. We’ll see how things go, I definitely don’t think it’s going to happen or whenever they said. September or something is it? I don’t think either New Year’s (Eve) I think that’s a bit too close. I think they’re just putting dates and stuff like that will just hype the whole thing and keep hyping until they get a few hundred million.
White waiting for Mayweather call
White says that he’s still waiting on Mayweather to call him.
People hit me up and say, ‘Did you see Floyd just posted a poster of them squared off and said they’re fighting in September?’ and this and that. Listen, I don’t care what Floyd says. There’s only one way this fight’s happening (and that’s) through me. Floyd’s got to call me. Floyd and I haven’t talked. Here’s the reality: I haven’t talked to Floyd Mayweather once. If you look at how long and how hard it took to get the (Manny) Pacquaio (vs. Mayweather) fight done, that’s the same sport. I don’t know what (Mayweather’s) angle is on this thing with Conor McGregor, but he’s not fighting Conor McGregor without calling me. It’s not going to happen.
Kavanagh: Surprised if McGregor-Mayweather doesn’t happen
During a talk with MMA Underground, Kavanagh says he thinks McGregor-Mayweather will happen.
It puts it on hold. I think that contest will happen eventually but it’s on hold for now. I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t at some stage. I think it’s a bigger fight; I think there’s a lot of intrigue about it. I could be 100% wrong. Right now we’re focusing on August 20th. We have an important rematch – a mixed martial arts fight – but if in time that fight was to be announced it would not surprise me and I think it would be an interesting one.
It’s hard to beat Floyd with boxing because he seems to be almost perfect in terms of how defensive he is. I think if you’re a classically trained boxer you’re gonna lose to Floyd because he just seems to make everybody look quite ordinary. But maybe somebody who doesn’t strike like a boxer might be a new look for him. Maybe the odd sly knee and leg kick as well. [Laughs.] You get two warnings. [Laughs.]
Jeffries: McGregor-Mayweather will happen
Jeffries says that McGregor-Mayweather will happen.
I think it’s a possibility it could happen. People are saying it’s a circus and all that but I think it could happen. And why not? The biggest pay-per-view star of all time in boxing against the biggest pay-per-view star of all time in MMA. I would like to see it. With it being two different sports it might be (difficult). But I would really like to see that fight. I really would.
Kavanagh: McGregor will only fight Mayweather for 50%
Kavanagh says that the rumoured $100 million fight between McGregor and Mayweather would happen, but only if revenues were split evenly between both men.
There was talk that Conor would get $7 million and Floyd would get the rest of it. It will be an even share or Conor will not do it . . . There is no one generating the type of media that Conor i. It would have to be an even split. Conor is not going to take it if Floyd is getting more than him. Floyd needs Conor more than Conor needs Floyd right now.
Kavanagh said he believed that McGregor could beat Mayweather, despite the boxer having a record of 49 wins and no defeats.
Floyd is amazing. He is incredible. I don’t think there is a boxer who could beat him. He has figured out boxing, but Conor doesn’t move like a boxer.
McGregor on Mayweather: ‘Show me the money’
At the UFC 202 press scrum, McGregor talks about Mayweather.
Right now, I have Floyd running around the Showtime offices gathering my money. That’s what he’s doing. He’s running around the Showtime offices, begging those executives to come up with the $100 million cash he needs to fight me. As soon as he gets my money, we can fight…Look, If you want to fight me, we can fight. If you need a specific rule set to protect you from a true fight, that’s no problem. Just make sure that money is there. As long as that money is there, we can fight under your safe net of rules. With me, I don’t need rules. I am the f-cking rules.
I’ve got the boxing community saying “I can’t box”, and then I say “okay lets fight,” “Oh well you can’t kick or elbow or grapple… as long as you can’t do that then we’ll box your ass up.” And then I’ve got the grappling community saying “I can’t grapple” so I say “okay let’s fight” and then the grappling community [say] “oh well you can’t box or kick, as long as you can’t do that, then we’ll grapple your ass up”. All these people saying I can’t do this or I can’t do that, well lets fight then and then all of a sudden rules, you need to bring in rules to protect them. I don’t need no rules to protect me, I can fight any way.
I don’t really hold it against [Floyd], I wouldn’t wanna come into my world no way. I mean how is he gonna come into my world, he’s a novice where I come from. He’s a phenomenal boxer, a phenomenal athlete, an intelligent businessman, but he’s a novice in true fighting and that’s just simple fact. I don’t blame him, trying to set rules under the boxing rules. And like I said, I’ve no problem going over there. I would not show up unconfident. I would show up to kill that man and take that win down 100%. Why dominate one world when you can dominate two? We’ll see how that plays out.