UFC's White: I'd Bless Mayweather-McGregor - Not as Boxing Match
By Carlos Boogs
Dana White, President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, is pretty firm on the rules for a fantasy fight between UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor and former five division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (49-0, 26KOs).
White is willing to approve the fight but he will NOT provide his blessing if the fight is a straight boxing match.
Mayweather, 39-years-old, retired from boxing in September 2015 but was recently considering a bout with McGregor. The two fighters were going back and forth through social media for weeks. Nothing ever happened and any talk of them meeting disappeared overnight. In recent weeks, the two fighters have started mentioning each other once again.
McGregor, 28, is under contract with the UFC, and any potential fight against Mayweather (or anyone else) would have had to involve a co-promotion or the UFC's blessing.
Recently, McGregor had a recent question and answer session with The LAD Bible and obviously his fans are still very curious on whether or not a Mayweather fight is actually possible.
McGregor would do a straight boxing match - if the money is right.
“Floyd is afraid of the fight. Floyd doesn’t want the fight. Floyd wants a boxing match - and I’ve already said no problem.... get my f***ing money. When you get my money, then we can box in this boxing match - under these set of specific rules that will keep you alive. I’m here. Where’s my money?," McGregor said.
"Because if you keep dropping my name and you have not got the money - then I’m going to show up at your front door. Floyd does not want to fight [with no rules]. Floyd wants a match under a specific set of rules. I don’t need rules. I am open [to whatever he wants]. Lets see what happens. Right now it’s just talk.”
A few weeks ago, White made it clear that a Mayweather-McGregor fight would have to involve - at the very least - punches, kicks and elbows.
During a recent appearance on Fox Sports 1 - he doubled down on that position, because a straight up boxing match would make it a very uneven contest that won't exactly be marketable. He even suggested that both men should wear MMA gloves instead of boxing gloves - to make the contest a little more balanced.
"I would [bless] it. I would start [the rules] with punches, kicks and elbows though. You don't want to box Floyd Mayweather ... not straight up boxing. [McGregor is] good with his hands, but Mayweather is a different level. But Conor is a lot bigger than Mayweather though and Conor does hit hard. It's interesting. You can't say its not interesting. Do they wear boxing gloves or do they wear MMA gloves? You can't favor Floyd too much [with the fight rules]. You've got to balance it," White said.
