During the relatively short history of the two “rival” sports being in existence at the same time, fight fans have not been treated to too many, if any, glorious spectacles whenever a boxer has crossed over to fight an MMA fighter, or vice-versa. We’ve seen big names from both sports try it (think James Toney succumbing against Randy Couture for an MMA victory over boxing, to Ray Mercer icing Tim Sylvia for a boxing triumph over MMA) but it’s never been too pretty.
This, some people (but, in truth, not too many) said, would be changed if superstars Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor clashed. The fight seemed close to coming to fruition and its being made was reliant on the only thing that really matters, money, but now, Mayweather has said that that ship has sailed. No shortage of people have breathed a gasp of relief at this “news.”
Mayweather is occasionally back in the gym (posting photos of his workouts on social media when the mood takes him) and this will always lead to speculation that the 49-0 great is planning to return to the ring. Floyd is adamant his fighting days have come to an end, but nobody seems to be listening.
Maybe Mayweather would have laced ’em up one more time if nine figures were on the table for a McGregor fight. Those numbers do not exist, the fight is off (if it was ever really on) and, as Floyd says, it’s time to move on. To where, boxing fans will continue to debate until Mayweather is in his mid-forties.
“I tried to make the fight happen between me and Conor McGregor,” Floyd told his favourite website, FightHype. “We wasn’t able to make the fight happen, so we must move on.”
If anyone still cares (or cared) Dana White, head of the UFC, always said this particular “super-fight” would never happen as long as McGregor was contracted to him and his organisation. Now, with the fight precious few fans of either sport wanted to see dead in the water, speculation in the boxing world grows over what Mayweather will do next instead. Maybe “Money,” who insists he is retired, will do nothing apart from what he has been doing; namely helping his stable of young talent grow and grow.