FLOYD MAYWEATHER, retired superstar and former pound-for-pound king, has admitted he must “move on” from a potential fight against UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
Courtesy of some mock posters and cryptic tweets, the pair generated interest in a bizarre crossover fight after McGregor suffered his first UFC loss earlier this year to Nate Diaz.
It was believed the plan was for them to fight in a boxing ring, under boxing rules, however Mayweather has since claimed he will no longer try to make the contest.
“I tried to make the fight happen between me and Conor McGregor,” Mayweather told FightHype.com on Saturday. “We wasn’t able to make the fight happen, so we must move on.
“I feel honored to be the biggest name in MMA and in boxing and I don’t even compete no more.”
Mayweather had previously said he thought the fight would “absolutely” happen however it now looks as though he will remain retired for the time being. Given the stratospheric profile of both men, any fight between them would have generated an obsene amount of money – certainly enough to lure Mayweather back into the ring.
While it is unclear what scuppered the matchup – which most certainly would have been a mismatch, given that McGregor has never boxed professionally – it is likely that the Irishman’s lucrative contract with the UFC was a sticking point.
He avenged his defeat to Diaz a few weeks ago, opening the door to more mega paydays for him inside the octagon.
Though Mayweather insists he is moving on, the door is unlikely to be completely closed on a McGregor fight. The American frequently reminds his millions of followers on social media that he is happily retired, though speculation remains rife over what many feel is an inevitable comeback for Floyd, who retired 49-0, one fight shy of breaking Rocky Marciano’s perfect record.
