Posted on 07/26/2022
Sean Crose
You remember the pop culture event of Summer 2017, don’t you? That was the summer when brash UFC star Conor McGregor stepped into the boxing ring to face the great Floyd Mayweather. The fight ended predictably, in a Mayweather victory by stoppage, though McGregor certainly didn’t embarrass himself. Suffice to say, both men made an absolute ton of money for that novelty event. It should come as no surprise, then, that each might be eager to do it all again. While it’s true Mayweather is now well into his forties and McGregor hasn’t been having much luck in the octagon lately, both guys are flashy, recognizable stars. That means that, although a rematch wouldn’t bring in nearly as much green as the first bout did, it would still amount to being a huge pay per view event.
Per The Sun: “Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor are ‘very close’ to cutting a deal for the multi-million dollar rematch – with Money ‘willing to put his unbeaten record on the line’, a source has claimed.” The Sun’s unnamed “insider” indicates that “personal terms have been agreed…but there are still arguments over the number of rounds, with Notorious wanting ten rounds.” The insider, who is said to be a member of Team Mayweather, also reports that the fight, should it happen, will go down at 155.
The insider goes on to claim that Mayweather “is looking at the fight taking place next March in the Middle East with a potential fight between Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia as undercard.” Is any of this true? Is some of it true? The truth is no one knows except for the interested parties themselves. The insider claims “the deal and rights are certainly getting there,” but what does that really mean?
In the five years since their flashy throwdown, Mayweather has been on a kind of exhibition tour, making tons of money facing rather nonthreatening fare such as Logan Paul while McGregor has lost three of four high profile fights in the UFC. Again, neither man is in his prime. Talk of a rematch is sure to draw attention, however. Why wouldn’t it? These guys are about as high profile as people can get – and Mayweather’s nickname is “Money” for a reason. People will roll their eyes at the prospect of a rematch – but then they’ll cough up the money to see it. Both men know this. And so do the rest of us.