Leave it to Dana White to say one thing and do another.
Just two days after the polarizing UFC executive told everyone that Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Floyd Mayweather wasn’t happening in boxing, White to revealed ESPN (via MMA Weekly) that he met with “Money’s” team in Los Angeles this week.
“I had a meeting yesterday in Los Angeles about this. I don’t want to say anything that’s going to make it sound like ‘wow this could happen’ but we had talks yesterday.
White said he doesn’t believe the fight will happen in the UFC, but Mayweather’s team didn’t say no:
“I don’t think it’s going to happen. I don’t think the fight would happen in the UFC but they didn’t say no.”
Khabib’s Focus
Reports of the potential boxing match between Khabib and Mayweather have been circling ever since “the Eagle” submitted Conor McGregor at October 6’s UFC 229. But after McGregor went to boxing and was stopped by Mayweather last year, things have changed. White says the boxing great will now have to venture into MMA.
But White still wouldn’t close the door on Khabib vs. Mayweather in boxing. He claimed he hadn’t spoken to his undefeated champion about it yet. If and when Khabib wanted to do it, White said he would reconsider. Overall, however, he thinks Khabib’s focus needs to be on defending his belt:
“We went over there, we boxed him and if he wants to do it again, he’s gotta come fight in the UFC. I don’t think it’s very realistic at all but I didn’t the boxing match was either and it happened so we’ll see.
“There will no be a boxing match. Obviously if it was something that Khabib really wanted to do, we’d sit down and talk about it but I don’t like anything about it. I haven’t talked to Khabib about it at all. His interest needs to be defending his title over here. That’s what he should be focused on.”
No More One-Sided Fights
Mayweather has already opened as a monstrous favorite over Khabib in boxing for obvious reasons, just like he would be a massive dog to Khabib in MMA. White knows the boxing legend is looking to get paid big when with the odds stacked in his favor. White is done with those kind of fights even with the money involved.
But if Mayweather has been working on his ground game, that may be different. If “Money” truly wants to come over to the UFC, White said there’s a spot lined up for him:
“There’s a reason why Floyd Mayweather wants to fight my guys,” White said. “Because there’s big money there for him. Obviously, there’s big money there for us but I’m not into making those kinds of fights.
“If Floyd wants to come over here, he said he’s been wrestling and doing this and that, if he wants to come over and fight in the UFC, he’s more than welcome.”
Even if Mayweather has been wrestling, he’ll never catch up to Khabib. That doesn’t sound like a fight he’d be willing to take – even for the amount of money he’d make.
Should the UFC squash this talk? Or should they leave the door open as White seems to be open to?
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