Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor on the verge of agreeing billion dollar mega-fight
FLOYD MAYWEATHER and Conor McGregor are on the verge of agreeing the richest fight in boxing history.
The Sun can reveal that undefeated Mayweather, considered one of the greatest boxers of all time, is set to go toe-to-toe with the UFC star in Las Vegas this summer.
Money Mayweather — currently retired with the joint best boxing record in history of 49 wins from 49 fights — is set to earn £100million in the boxing bout, while McGregor will take home £7million.
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Both sides just have to agree on the purse and sign the paperwork — which sources say is imminent — and an announcement is likely to be made in the coming weeks.
A source told The Sun: “Floyd went mad after Conor said he would crush him and knock him out in 30 seconds, he’s obsessed with making Conor eat his words.
“Floyd is calling the shots. It’s strictly boxing and Conor will have to lose roughly 25lbs.
“It was agreed in principle on May 2, but Floyd wouldn’t reveal the identity of his opponent until last night when he told friends he’ll be fighting Conor.”
The outspoken pair have clashed before when Mayweather claimed the Irishman’s popularity was partly down to racism.
Money has been left fuming that McGregor has not been criticised for his trash-talking to the same degree as he has.
In an interview with Fight Hype, Mayweather said: “They say he talks a lot of trash and people praise him for it, but when I did it, they say I’m cocky and arrogant.
“So biased. Like I said before, all I’m saying is this: I ain’t racist at all, but I’m telling you racism still exists.”
Loudmouth cage fighter McGregor — a box office hit in the US — then challenged Mayweather to a boxing match to settle their differences.
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The 27-year-old Dubliner said: “Floyd Mayweather, don’t ever bring race into my success again, I am an Irishman.
“My people have been oppressed our entire existence. And still very much are. I understand the feeling of prejudice. It is a feeling that is deep in my blood.
“If you want we can organise a fight no problem.
“I will give you a fair 80/20 split purse in my favour seen as your last fight bombed at every area of revenue.”
Featherweight McGregor cemented his place as the biggest star in UFC when he recorded a brutal
13-second knockout of pound-for-pound king Jose Aldo at UFC194 in December last year.
But he then jumped up TWO weight divisions for his next bout in the Octagon — and was stunned by 170-pound Nate Diaz when he was forced to submit to a rear-naked choke hold.
The pair were set for a rematch at UFC200 in Vegas in July but the fight was .
McGregor then stunned fans by announcing his retirement from the sport — although he later backtracked on the decision.
Mayweather, 39, hung up his gloves after a routine unanimous decision over Andre Berto in September, taking him to one win short of beating Rocky Marciano’s all-time record.
But this month he dropped a huge hint that he could fight again after filing for “TMT 50” and “TBE 50” — suggesting his The Money Team fashion brand could be set to cash in on a landmark 50th win.
Any ring return would mean the five-weight world champions would have to put his extravagant lifestyle on hold.
Mayweather recently whisked nineteen-year-old Brit shop assistant Rmarni Eliss to the States after meeting her at a public appearance in Cannock.
And last month he treated 20 mates to a £250,000 around-the-world trip of a lifetime on board the private jet he dubs ‘Air Mayweather’, that included a visit to the pyramids in Egypt.
Mayweather’s 19-year career made him the richest athlete on the planet with earnings of more than £548million – and he was last year involved in the most lucrative fight of all time when he beat Philippines legend Manny Pacquaio.
But a showdown with McGregor — dubbed by the Irishman as a ‘billion-dollar fight’ — is likely to be worth even more.
The fight is expected to be held at the new arena inside the MGM Grand.