Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather is open to ending his retirement to face off against UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov or his former foe Conor McGregor.
Mayweather officially retired from boxing after stretching his undefeated record to 50-0 by beating McGregor via tenth round TKO in 2017. ‘Money’ has consistently flirted with a return to the sport but hasn’t competed competitively since. Mayweather did partake in an exhibition bout against RIZIN kickboxing sensation Tenshin Nasukawa, picking up $9m and a first round knockout victory.
The 43-year-old has been content in retirement, focusing on his various business ventures but would happily return to fighting should a rematch against McGregor become an option.
“If I could pick an easy $300 million, absolutely,” Mayweather told Shannon Sharpe on his podcast when asked about a rematch with McGregor. “Same way, same results.”
Mayweather has no interest in making a comeback against any young, world-class boxers who could potentially tarnish his legacy. The four-weight champion doesn’t envisage those types of issues against “inexperienced” fighters like McGregor and Nurmagomedov.
“Your health is your wealth,” Mayweather said. “So as far as me going out there and competing against a guy like Conor McGregor, or a guy that’s really inexperienced. Absolutely [I’d fight Khabib Nurmagomedov]. Those are $300 million fights.
“You have to make it make sense. Real sense. Certain type of dollars. I need to have my faculties also. I had my time. I had my era. It’s these young fighters’ era now. It’s OK for me to go fight a Khabib or a Conor – with those two fights alone, I could pick up $600 million. That don’t hurt to fight guys that just entertain. It’s all entertainment.
Mayweather certainly seems to be leaning towards McGregor who he believes doesn’t have the power to trouble him.
“Conor McGregor can’t punch,” Mayweather said. “He can’t punch. I don’t even remember [the uppercut]. I’m having fun. I was like this dude punch so soft.”
“He knows what he did wrong, but he also knows what he did right,” Mayweather explained. “What he did wrong was get in the ring with me. What he did right was get in the ring with me so he could get a big payday.”
“I don’t like him at all,” Mayweather said of McGregor. “At all.”
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