Report: Mayweather 'very, very close' to booking fight vs. McGregor
With rumors of a megafight between boxing legend Floyd Mayweather and UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor heating up, one of Mayweather's closest associates in the media provided an update on Tuesday.
On Tuesday's edition of "First Take," ESPN's Stephen A. Smith recounted a conversation he had with Mayweather at this past weekend's Golden State Warriors-Oklahoma City Thunder game in which Mayweather confirmed that discussions with McGregor's team are well underway.
"It's not finalized. There are details to be worked out. He did not confirm that a deal had been done as of yet, but as you know I've known Floyd for years and he had a smile on his face and he says, 'We're getting there. We're getting very, very close,' said Smith.
"He believes that he has the potential to make even more money than he made fighting (Manny) Pacquiao."
Mayweather reportedly made over $200 million for his highly anticipated bout with Pacquiao in May 2015, but it's not inconceivable that a combat sports crossover with McGregor would prove even more lucrative, given that the Irishman has established himself as the biggest PPV draw in mixed martial arts history.
While Smith thinks Mayweather is financially secure, he believes the 39-year-old boxer could be coaxed out of retirement by the prospect of facing an opponent who can match him in the hype department.
"He doesn't need it at all. But Floyd is all about business," said Smith. "His whole thing is that it has to be the right deal business-wise, it has to be worth his time. If he believes that McGregor has the potential to make it happen - because McGregor can market himself and Floyd usually has to market his fights. Because the guys that he fought against he had to do all the promoting and the talking. He won't have to do that with McGregor and he knows it. So that part of it has him excited from a business perspective.
"Again, I want to make sure that everybody understands: he did not confirm that it's done. He said it's close. He thinks it's going to happen. But in his words, 'It's never happening until it's officially happening.'"