Conor McGregor lashes out at Floyd Mayweather, says Mayweather ‘needs’ him for a boxing-only, mega-fight

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UFC superstar Conor McGregor added more fuel to the rumors about a showdown between him and boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Rumors began to build in previous weeks about a boxing-only, mega-fight between the two stars, though there are many details in the way that could prevent the fight from ever happening.

In an ESPN interview with McGregor about his falling-out with UFC over UFC 200 promotions (from which McGregor was recently pulled), McGregor touched on the rumors about a fight with Mayweather. McGregor didn’t deny the rumors, but rather lashed out at Mayweather, accusing the Mayweather of leaking the rumors, then ripping apart the contract numbers and saying Mayweather “needs” him.

“The leak came out, and it was him that leaked the rumor, and it said that he gets $100 million and I get $7 million,” McGregor said. “That’s a pay cut to me. I don’t take pay cuts; I thought boxing was where the money was at. The $7 million is absolutely laughable. He’s talking $100 million, I’m also talking $100 million.”

McGregor continued, saying while he’s in the prime of his career, the previously retired Mayweather is not in a position of power when it comes to the negotiations.

“I’m 27 years of age, and I’m just about halfway to a $100-million contract. At 27 years of age, Floyd Mayweather was on Oscar De La Hoya’s undercard. So, compare that. He needs me. I don’t need him. That’s the truth of it. Who else can he fight?”

“If he wants to talk, we can talk, but it’s me who’s in control here,” McGregor added.

More than the purse split, the biggest hurdle in such a fight would be McGregor’s contract with UFC. In an appearance on ESPN’s “Russillo and Kannel” UFC president Dana White said, “Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are in the same sport. It took how long for those two to fight? Now imagine how hard it would be to get (Mayweather and McGregor) to fight. They’re not in the same sport.”

White did add that if Mayweather was interested in the fight, he should contact White to talk.

The potential of such a fight ever happening still seems like a long-shot, but it remains intriguing that both sides are openly acknowledging it.

Watch the entire interview here >