UFC boss Dana White has weighed in on the war of words between double UFC champion Conor McGregor and boxing icon Floyd Mayweather, slamming the latter’s fighting style.
Since McGregor beat Eddie Alvarez on Saturday at UFC 205 to add the lightweight strap to his featherweight belt, the Irishman has exchanged barbs with the former boxer. Speaking to TMZ, White came out in support of his organisation’s biggest star.
“[McGregor]…if he touches you, you go to sleep,” he said. “Floyd puts people to sleep too, with his fighting style, not with his hands. … Floyd can say what he wants about Conor, but even other fighters have to respect him. He's special. Floyd's never even come close to doing to other fighters what Conor does.”
The public spat was triggered when Mayweather was asked for his opinion on comparisons between himself and McGregor.
The man known as Money, who retired from the sport in 2015 with a perfect 49-fight professional record, told TMZ said the contrast was “total disrespect” and added “elephants don't beef with ants, an elephant is so large it doesn't even see ants.”
When TMZ caught up with McGregor, it was little surprise Notorious had his own views on the matter, as relayed by Bleacher Report UK:
Conor McGregor would like to hear Floyd Mayweather’s words just a bit closer... ?? pic.twitter.com/Vxovd3SK2A
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) November 16, 2016
The UFC sensation went on to suggest he would go up against Mayweather in a boxing bout for a cool $100 million.
There was some tentative talk about a possible showdown between the two combat sports legends earlier in the year, with Mayweather admitting to FightHype.com (h/t BBC Sport) there were some negotiations over a possible bout. However, nothing came to fruition.
While McGregor’s time at the summit of UFC may not have outlasted Money’s dominance in boxing, the Irishman made history when he stopped Alvarez in the second round of their showdown at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The win means he’s the first fighter in UFC history to hold two belts from different weight classes simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Mayweather has remained true to his word on retirement, although rumours of return continue to surface. Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN’s Dan Rafael that he thinks it is “75 per cent" likely that Money will take on Manny Pacquiao in a rematch of their record-breaking showdown in 2015.
