Conor McGregor says fight with Floyd Mayweather would generate ‘half a billion’

Jul 10, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Conor McGregor steps on the scale for his bout against Chad Mendes (not pictured) during weigh-ins for UFC 189 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 10, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Conor McGregor steps on the scale for his bout against Chad Mendes (not pictured) during weigh-ins for UFC 189 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Conor McGregor isn’t just coming after Jose Aldo’s title in the UFC, he wants a piece of Floyd Mayweather and that prize money. 

Right now, Conor McGregor is at the top of the UFC mountain, living in rarified air occupied only by Ronda Rousey. As far as the fighting game goes, there are only three combat sport athletes more popular than they’ve ever been but one of those three is popular for all the wrong reasons.

Floyd Mayweather is one of the greatest boxers to have ever lived, but he’s also a really s—- human being. The countless domestic abuse allegations and his brash attitude in and out of the ring hasn’t gained him many fans, despite the fact he hasn’t lost a fight in his entire career.

Conor McGregor would like to change that, and get rich trying.

McGregor sat down with The Guardian recently and the topic of Floyd Mayweather came up a few different times. After saying he would ‘dismantle him in seconds’, the interim UFC champ said that a fight between himself and Mayweather would generate as much as $500 million.

"“Why would he take me on?” McGregor said. “If you’re talking about a fight that could generate half a billion—it’s this one. There’s never going to be another boxing fight like this. Only a cross-style match between Mayweather and me could generate that kind of interest and revenue. So maybe it could happen. I would certainly be up for it.”"

That’s not a crazy idea, as there are three fighters in the world right now that people can’t stop talking about and only two of them would probably be able to sanction a fight.

It will never happen, as Mayweather won’t fight McGregor if he’s not willing to fight Manny Pacquiao without giving the world six years and 12 rounds of running around. It would no doubt be a n epic bout that would generate hundred of millions of dollars in revenue, but it’s simply a pipe dream to end all pipe dreams.

The only thing less plausible than a McGregor-Mayweather fight would be the Rousey-Mayweather fight we all want to see. NO disrespect to the Notorious Conor McGregor, but if fight between himself and Mayweather would generate half a billion, a Mayweather-Rousey fight might eclipse the billion dollar mark.

That seems crazy, but we will never know and it’s as much a part of the dream of all these fights as the bouts are themselves.

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