After Dana White offered Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor $25 million apiece to box one another, it didn’t take long for the 49-0 boxing legend to dismiss the offer.
Dana White Offer to Floyd Mayweather: Full Story of McGregor Fight
Just when it seemed like we were finally getting close to making this dream fight a reality, Mayweather quickly laughed off the offer and called the UFC president a f**king comedian. The man they call “Money” earlier this week suggested that he should receive $100 million for the fight and McGregor should get only $15 million with each .
Here’s the video of Mayweather laughing off White’s proposal, courtesy of TMZ:
Soon after, White held his ground and defended his proposalin a video also on TMZ. After restating why he thought the offer was fair, White insinuated that the problem wasn’t with the offer but rather the boxer’s lavish spending habits. He then mockingly warned Mayweather that tax day is approaching.
While their combative tones aren’t encouraging, the fact that they’re going back and forth at all is certainly a positive development. White knows that him firing shots at Mayweather now will only increase interest for his fight with McGregor if they ever reach an agreement.
If this fight ever actually happens, Mayweather will probably earn closer to the $25 million White offered than the $100 million he suggested. But as he showed with the Pacquiao fight, Mayweather is never in a hurry while negotiating and will hope that White blinks first.
I had always been under the impression that this fight would never happen, but there’s just too much money on the table for everyone involved for them not to at least consider it.
Floyd will almost certainly soundly beat McGregor, but people will respect Conor for having the balls to venture into boxing against one of the all-time greatest practitioners of the sweet science. McGregor didn’t lose credibility for losing to the bigger Nate Diaz, and similarly wouldn’t be criticized too harshly if he inevitably loses to Mayweather in a boxing ring. Not only will a fight with Mayweather raise McGregor’s already enormous profile, but a $25 million payday is more than he could earn against any opponent in the octagon.
And for Floyd it would be a massive payday for an easy night at the office.
Maybe I’m deluding myself, but I really am starting to think this fight will happen. Eventually.