What’s the story?
After Floyd Mayweather’s claim to come out of retirement for a bout against Conor McGregor, UFC President Dana White now says that he will assist the Irishman in any way he can to bring about this event.
White’s comments on the Chris Mannix Show yesterday certainly revealed his new-found enthusiasm at the prospect of a potential Mayweather-McGregor boxing match.
“Conor has been a guy who has stepped up in times of need here, in big fights when an opponent fell out, so I want to do this for Connor,” he said. “I want him to be able to make this kind of money,” White added.
Previously…
Earlier in March, during his UK Undefeated Tour, Mayweather had openly challenged McGregor to a fight, adding that he was not interested in hearing any more “excuses about money” from his prospective opponent.
The five-time world champion addressed his fans at the Liverpool Auditorium and drew on past experiences against various opponents to goad McGregor into standing against him. “If you want to fight, sign the paperwork and let's do it,” he had stated.
Going in depth
Obviously taking a cue from this, Dana White has emerged as a likely champion towards this cause, insisting that he is “working on a deal” which will prove conducive to the planned bout. White revealed his admiration for the reigning Lightweight Champion during the conversation and said that he would be open to helping McGregor in any way possible.
On the subject of a possible timeline for the fight, he stated that the fight would be most likely to take place in the latter half of the year. Negotiations are set to begin after McGregor’s girlfriend delivers the baby they are expecting at the end of the month.
White admitted to changing his mind about the fight after he saw the intrigue and enthusiasm with which the idea of it was received and the amount of money McGregor would stand to make off this opportunity.
Impact
With UFC 210 set to take place in Buffalo, New York over the weekend, the talk about this much-awaited fight inevitably made its way into media conversations. Right now, the biggest motivation for turning this speculative fight into reality is the massive windfall it is expected to create for all invested parties.
Reports suggest that the Mayweather-McGregor bout is set to make $100 million for Mayweather alone. Earlier Mcgregor was offered $15 million by the Mayweather camp by which he was clearly not impressed.
Author’s Take
After this issue being rife with speculation only to lead to disappointment, the way things are going right now, the fight seems to be moving more towards reality than it ever did before. One way or the other, a resolution is set to be reached in the coming weeks. The bout, if it indeed takes place, will enthral fans worldwide and possibly be one of the greatest fights of all time.
