By Edward Chaykovsky
WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew, who on March 4th will move up to heavyweight for a grudge match with David Haye, believes UFC champion Conor McGregor obtained a boxing license to gain leverage in his pursuit to own shares of the UFC.
Earlier this week, McGregor obtained a license to box in the state of California. He also tried to obtain a boxing license in Nevada, but he was denied.
A few months ago, the UFC was purchased by investors for $4 billion dollars.
Not that long after the UFC's sale was finalized, McGregor made his plea to gain an ownership percentage of the company. McGregor, as the biggest star in the company, felt he earned his right to be compensated.
"If you want to come at me, if you want me to stick around and help service that debt and continue to push the company, bring me on board, for real," McGregor said. "I need to be set for life for this. If you want me to be truly on on board, then I need to be all-in on this proper, as an owner, and have an equity stake in the company. That's what I'm looking for."
"They've got to come talk to me now. Both belts. Money. I want the ownership now. If we're going to keep doing this, let's talk, but I want an equal share. I want what I've deserved, what I've earned. I've earned something. I've earned, I mean, who owns the company now? There's people who have shares in the company, celebrities, Conan O'Brien owns the UFC now, so, where's my share? Where's my equity? I'm the one that's banking this."
Bellew doesn't believe McGregor truly intends to step foot in a boxing ring. He says the fighter is making his move to apply pressure on the UFC.
"This move helps his push for the shares he wants in the UFC. It puts those demands firmly in focus for the UFC. He’s carried that business for a full year purely on his back. He’s also raised that business up. He should be given shares, that company was sold for $4 billion. He has to be compensated," Bellew said to Metro.
"Conor deserves some hand in the UFC’s pot of gold, because the they may have been a rapidly growing sport with a fanbase before McGregor arrived, but he’s taken that sport to new levels. And that surge in popularity is purely down to him. No question. He’s a fantastic salesman and is the best combat sports salesman in the world. The minute he arrives to a press conference, even people like me who don’t really care about the antics, are tuning in."
"In terms of coming into the boxing world though, it’s a completely different sport. He has fantastic hands for an MMA fighter If put him up against an actual boxer however, he wouldn’t stand a chance. But, put a boxer into a cage with him and he would absolutely tear them apart.
But, that’s not going to work in the ring. There’s only one way to loose in boxing and that’s by the hands. Boxers are much more skilled and McGregor could not drop his hands for a second. His stance would be too wide, there’s no real purpose to his punches. Two totally different sports.
But, if he went in a boxing ring with Mayweather, he would get embarrassed. Conor would quit or be put asleep within two rounds.
