Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his camp have heard all the speculation about his August 26 prizefight with Conor McGregor not living up to the box office or in-ring expectations.
Mayweather and promoter Leonard Ellerbe took to the media Thursday for an open workout and meeting with reporters in an attempt to sell the bout.
“Forget what y’all are hearing. We’re doing crazy numbers,” Mayweather told reporters.
“We are going to blow past our own record of $72 million dollars. What are we talking about? This fight is massive,” Ellerbe told reporters.
Ellerbe also took particular exception to the narrative being created by Oscar De La Hoya and his promotional team, which has taken aim at the Mayweather-McGregor match in recent weeks. De La Hoya called it “disrespectful” to have the bout so close in proximity to the Gennady Golovkin vs. Canelo Alvarez bout September 16.
“It was disrespectful,” De La Hoya said on SportsCenter in June (via MMA Fighting). “I would have thought that Dana White would have a little more respect with this boxing event taking place, because look, you just don’t do that. I mean, it’s like having the Super Bowl and then three weeks later the World Series takes place, the final game. It just doesn’t happen.”
Ellerbe referred to De La Hoya as “that other idiot” and claimed their promotional team was lying about the Canelo fight’s being sold out.
“Jealousy is a terrible thing. Move on,” Ellerbe said. “Why are so worried about Floyd Mayweather?”
Mayweather said he believes his bout with McGregor will sell out even though it hasn’t reached the mark with two weeks remaining.
He also took time out in the presser to apologize for using a gay slur to insult McGregor during their press stop in London. He refused to comment on McGregor’s wearing a C.J. Watson jersey, a barb that not-so-subtly referenced Mayweather’s ex-girlfriend.
“I don’t know anything about any jerseys,” Mayweather said. “Anyone can wear whatever they want.”
McGregor will hold his version of an open workout and press conference Friday.
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