The internet has been thick with rumours that UFC star Conor McGregor and boxer Floyd Mayweather are set to announce a big-money fight in Las Vegas.
The source? British tabloid The Sun, which started the rumour last night.
The Sun claim that they were told this by a source: “Floyd went mad after Conor said he would crush him and knock him out in 30 seconds, he’s obsessed with making Conor eat his words.
“Floyd is calling the shots. It’s strictly boxing and Conor will have to lose roughly 25lbs.
“It was agreed in principle on May 2, but Floyd wouldn’t reveal the identity of his opponent until last night when he told friends he’ll be fighting Conor.”
While a fight between McGregor, the UFC’s biggest star, and Mayweather, one of the greatest boxers of all time, would no doubt be a huge event, it doesn’t seem at all likely that the rumour will be proven to be true.
The Sun is not necesarilly known for the reliability of its reporting, and this would not be the first outlandish story in its history to be printed.
Most notably, UFC president Dana White has already shot down the possibility of a fight. “It’s not true; it’s just a tabloid story,” said White.
“And as far as I knew, Floyd is retired and he’s been on a world-wide vacation and hasn’t even been thinking of fighting.”
While McGregor has gone through a public stoush with White and the UFC in recent times that has led to him no longer being on the card for UFC 200, he remains contracted to the competition and would have to gain some kind of release in order to enter a boxing match with Mayweather.
So, for now at least, it seems this rumour is bupkis – but, at least it provided a few hours of fanciful imagination.
Nolzie
Roar Rookie
You really have absolutely no idea do you Jerry. "Conor wouldn't be able to get a takedown on Mayweather as quickly" As much as I believe Mayweather would beat Conor in a BOXING match, you really have no idea about grappling. I have trained BJJ and Judo for near on 10 years, anyone who hasn't trained any form of grappling for an extended amount of time won't stand for long. Granted punches being thrown is a different story but in a clinch (which Mayweather does alot) he is going to get thrown. I hate the whole MMA vs Boxing debate. A boxer will win in a boxing match and an MMA fighter will qin in an MMA fight. If the argument is about who has the bigger balls, boxing is only a small part of MMA and I will leave it there .
Jerry
Guest
Conor wouldn't be able to get a takedown on Mayweather as quickly as Couture did on Toney though, and I don't think his grappling would be as effective immediately. Plus, I suspect if Mayweather took it seriously, he could learn some basic grappling defence pretty quickly - he's a freak athlete after all. Still, he'd lose an MMA bout v McGregor. A boxing bout between them would be a farce. McGregor's hands and footwork are good for MMA but he'd be clowned by Floyd. The only real question would be whether Floyd would cruise to a 12 round victory or if he'd risk going for the knockout. McGregor lost the standup battle to Diaz, FFS, he's got no chance against the best technical boxer in decades.
bigJ
Guest
Connor would get his lights punched out by floyd in under a round. But if they were to fight mma rules floyd wouldnt last one minute before he tapped out, being mindful of what happen in the Coulture/ Tooney fight that lastest less than four minutes. This getting beyond the joke, Connor has just lost his last two fights and mayweather has not fought in a year and pushing forty, you do this w@ankers think they are?!!!!!?!?!? Two iditos from different sports have a go at each other to prove you is the better fighter, never going to happen!!! Unless they bring back the old days of UFC where it was just a street fight (and it was better back then believe me) and let them go at it.
Carl Spackler
Guest
An MMA guy going up against a proper fighter. Seriously, he should make out a will. Boxers at that class can kill. The authorities should never allow this.