By Edward Chaykovsky
Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White is ready to support a potential fight between their organization's lightweight champion Conor McGregor, and retired former five division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (49-0, 26 KOs).
But White will only support this bout - once McGregor satisfies the four remaining fights on his UFC contract.
Once McGregor does his four fights, White says he is free and clear to do whatever he wants to do.
Mayweather, who retired from boxing in September 2015, says McGregor is the only fighter who interests him enough to make a return to the boxing ring - or else he will stay in retirement. He's been trading words with McGregor for nearly a year on social media and in countless interviews.
McGregor believes the Mayweather fight can happen - with or without the UFC - if he explores the use of the Muhammad Ali Act in a legal battle.
White feels confident that McGregor will not be capable of getting around his contract and the UFC executive will pursue every legal avenue to enforce their rights and prevent the Mayweather fight from taking place.
"It will never happen; that's not even possible. He's under contract with us. You have a contract for a reason. Let me tell you what, there are a lot of contracts out there, no matter what business you are in - UFC or whatever - and it's pretty tough to get out of a contract," White explained to the Irish Mirror.
"And if that's what Conor wants to do, he's got four fights left. He's got four fights left with the UFC. Fight your four fights and, you know, go out and do what you want to do. Listen, Conor was walking into a pay-per-view where he had to sell to people [the concept of] hearing him talk. I'm sure people aren't crazy about buying tickets of pay-per-views to hear him talk; they want to see him fight. I get it."