Multiple time boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather has said he is serious about a potential boxing match with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, and he also criticized Khabib’s actions after his fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 229.
Talks of a fight between Mayweather and Khabib began earlier this week, when Khabib issued a challenge to Mayweather in a videoposted on Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe’s Instagram account. The two have since exchanged a few comments since then, but speaking recently to TMZ, Mayweather showed he is not joking around about a fight with Khabib.
“Oh, we fighting. I’m my own boss, so I can’t say what’s going on Khabib’s end, but on my end, we can make it happen.
“I’m Floyd Mayweather, I’m the A-side. You call me out, you come into my world.” Mayweather said. “I don’t know no other fighter that has done the numbers that I’ve done, I don’t know know other fighters that has made the money I made. So he called me out, come into my world, make it happen. When I face Khabib, of course, I make a nine-figure payday.”
It seemed after Mayweather’s last boxing match against McGregor in August 2017 that the undefeated fighter would retire for good with a astonishing record of 50-0. But it now looks like “Money Mayweather” is tempted to return to the ring to secure another big payday. Speaking about Khabib’s brawl with McGregor after UFC 229, Mayweather had some stern words for the Russian.
“I see on IG and on social media, he put, I think, basically he’ll fight, but he don’t want to fight in Vegas. Of course we know, Vegas is the fighting capital, and after the fight, you have to conduct yourself like a true professional. Not just in the ring, but outside of the ring also.” Mayweather told TMZ.
“You must conduct yourself like a professional, and it was a big melee. I haven’t had a chance to see it, but from what I heard it was a crazy melee.”