Mayweather, McGregor tease ‘MMA vs Boxing’ super-fight

MANILA, Philippines – Are Floyd Mayweather Jr and Conor McGregor plotting to cross combat sports lines and face off in a high-profile boxing vs Ultimate Fighting Championship showdown? The two fighters aren’t exactly shooting down the rumors.

Undefeated boxing champion Mayweather and UFC featherweight champ Conor McGregor have teased the possibility of meeting following a report by British outlet The Sun last week. The report claims that the fight will take place in a boxing ring, with both men set to make millions.

“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,” an unnamed source was quoted by The Sun.

Mayweather, a 5-division champion who retired last September with a record of 49-0 (26 knockouts), told FightHype that it was he who initiated the rumors which had overshadowed the build-up of Saturday’s middleweight title fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Amir Khan.

“It’s possible. It was a name that was shot at me,” Mayweather said. “The rumors that y’all been hearing is the rumors that I started. It may not be a rumor.”

McGregor, who has been at odds with the UFC after announcing his retirement, then unretiring and being removed from a UFC 200 pay-per-view rematch against Nate Diaz due to conflicts involving his participation in promoting the event, fanned the flames further by posting a mock graphic for the proposed fight.

McGregor blamed his second-round tapout defeat against Diaz at UFC 196 in March on the heavy promotional duties asked of him.

MMA Vs Boxing. pic.twitter.com/qgl8tKvT5s

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 8, 2016

UFC president Dana White threw cold water on the story in a conversation with Yahoo, stating: “It’s not true; it’s just a tabloid story. 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.”

Reports of the Mayweather fight have conflicted with reports that McGregor could face Diaz in a rematch at UFC 202 in August.

The 39-year-old Mayweather is expected by many to end his retirement sometime this year following a report on ESPN revealing that he had trademarked terms “TMT 50” and “TBE 50,” which would likely refer to his 50th professional fight. 

Mayweather said earlier this month that he would consider a return for a 9-figure payday. The aptly named “Money” Mayweather figured in the sport’s most financially lucrative fight in history in May 2015, with both men reported to have record paydays. – Rappler.com