UFC president Dana White feels like he has to green light the super fight between UFC star Conor McGregor and undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr .
White was originally against the idea of the fight ever happening but McGregor’s flexible fighting nature seems to have swayed the head of the UFC.
But White doesn’t want to take away the opportunity of a lifetime from the UFC lightweight champion.
“The kid steps up. He’ll fight anybody, anywhere, anytime. A lot of people say it, very few really mean it. I call him [McGregor] the unicorn. I’ve never dealt with a kid like this,” White told Fox Sport.
“For him to have this kind of opportunity, to make this kind money, this type of a fight that people are so interested in worldwide, I almost feel like I have to make it.”
Both McGregor and Mayweather seem to be on board with the idea, both throwing verbal jabs in each other’s direction over the last few months, with the rumoured date for this explosive box-office fight being September. The fight, which many believe would be one-sided in favour of undefeated boxer Mayweather, has been backed to break all kinds of records, including the numbers made from Mayweather’s fight with Manny Pacquiao back in May 2015.
White also mentioned that people do want to see the fight.
“It’s a fight that people do want to see. It’s intriguing and obviously it’s a fight that Conor wants because financially it’s going to be massive for him”, White said.
Watch: Dana White on McGregor vs. Mayweather
Money dispute is so far the biggest factor standing in the way of the fight being made. UFC’s biggest star McGregor has previously said that he wants $100m whilst ‘Money’ Mayweather would be likely to make north of that number.
Mayweather retired back in September 2015 after he equalled Rocky Marciano’s unbeaten 49-0 record by beating Andre Berto via unanimous decision in Las Vegas. McGregor on the other hand has since risen to become the most popular combat sports star on the planet.
Last September he became the UFC’s first ever fighter to hold two titles in two different weight divisions simultaneously, when he knocked out Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden, New York.
Published: 7 April, 2017 | 3:14 AM EDT
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