'Butterbean' can't believe McGregor-Mayweather fight could actually be sanctioned

Wait, they’re going to let Conor McGregor step inside the ring to fight a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather?

“Butterbean” can’t believe it.

That’s because “Butterbean” – real name Eric Esch – has been in this situation before. “Butterbean,” who gained fame as a boxer in the 1990s, sported a 6-2-1 MMA record in 2006 when he agreed to face current UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt under the now-defunct PRIDE banner. The fight was going to happen on Oct. 21, 2006, at PRIDE 32 in Las Vegas.

Except it didn’t because the Nevada State Athletic Commission deemed it too big of a mismatch in favor of Hunt, who actually had fewer MMA fights than Butterbean with his 5-2 record.

So what gives with McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) – and his zero boxing experience – being on the verge of potentially striking a deal to take on Mayweather (49-0 boxing), a boxing legend? Butterbean wants to know.

“If McGregor were to go out and get some boxing matches, I don’t see … I mean, just personally I went through it myself when I went to fight in Vegas on a PRIDE show, and they wanted me and Mark Hunt to fight MMA, and I wasn’t qualified to fight a level of Mark Hunt in MMA,” “Butterbean” told MMAjunkie Radio. “I don’t see a commission in the U.S. approving it, because of McGregor’s lack of boxing matches.

“He just doesn’t have the experience. It’s going to be a boring fight. It’ll be a one-sided fight – put it that way.”

Obviously the two situations are different (think: much more money involved). And apparently times have changed since 2006, with Bob Bennett, executive director for the Nevada State Athletic Commission, already telling USA TODAY Sports in February that McGregor-Mayweather would “certainly” be approved in Las Vegas.

But still. “Butterbean” kind of has a point, doesn’t he?

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