This week, Floyd Mayweather Jr. teased about a possible transition into mixed martial arts competition through two social media posts. The first time it was brought up, rival Conor McGregor offered quite an ambiguous response.
“The Notorious” was able to give a more elaborate reaction when reporter Adam Glyn recently caught up with him in New York City.
“I’d do as I please against him inside the Octagon,” McGregor said of Mayweather. “But if he does do it – I know he’s flirting with it – I would have respect for him. I think he would get his earned respect.”
McGregor also said that Mayweather should make the move, or forever regret the decision of not doing so.
“If it is (all talk), it will follow him for the rest of his days that he did not do it,” McGregor said. “I said I would (fight him in boxing), I stepped up, and I did it.”
The big question right now surrounding McGregor’s next career move is when he will fight next and who the opponent will be. From his end, the Irish superstar remains non-committal but is aware of the options that he can pick from.
“I’m currently in negotiations to face my next opponent,” McGregor said. “We have many options. There’s the current interim lightweight champion [Tony Ferguson], there’s an undefeated Dagestani [Khabib Nurmagomedov], maybe a big Russian event. There’s obviously the Nate Diaz trilogy. Of course, the Mayweather fight is there.”
“There’s many options (and) we’re at the table at the moment. Times are good, life is good.”
As McGregor remains on the sidelines, top 155-pound contenders Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov will be fighting each other at UFC 223 on April 7th in Brooklyn.