Mayweather offer revealed for McGregor rematch – media
Boxing great Floyd Mayweather is determined to run it back against UFC star Conor McGregor and has made an offer of almost $160 million to the Irishman to return to boxing for another crack at the undefeated icon, according to reports in the UK.
Almost five years on from his 10th-round TKO win against McGregor in what was dubbed 'The Money Fight' in Las Vegas, Mayweather, 45, remains on the periphery of the sport he dominated for much of his career.
The retired star has taken on a series of exhibition bouts since he stepped away from the sport shortly after improving his record to an unrivaled 50-0 with his victory against former UFC two-weight champion McGregor, and is due to take on Japanese MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura in his latest outing in the coming months.
But even at his advanced age, Mayweather says that he is in pristine shape and is said to be putting in performances in the training room which rival those of fighters 15 years his junior.
And even if Mayweather's pursuit of world titles has ended, his interest in adding to his bank account certainly hasn't according to The Sun, which quoted an 'insider' in the boxer's entourage as saying that he has identified McGregor as being an easy route to increasing his personal wealth.
“Mayweather Promotions made Conor an offer of €150 million ($157 million) for the fight,” the unnamed source said.
“Floyd has been training like he is 30 again - he is in really good shape.
“He's telling people he wants to fight Conor because he considers it 'easy work for easy money'.”
The source added that the fight, if it is agreed, would likely take place in the Middle East in March and would come as part of a blockbuster card which would also feature a high-profile fight between two of the sport's rising stars.
“It's looking like it could take place around March in the Middle East," the insider added.
“There may even be a possible Gervonta Davis vs Ryan Garcia fight on the same night.
“Floyd wants it to be the biggest night of boxing history with pay per views like never before.”
McGregor has stoked the rumors by posting to Instagram in recent days a photograph of his 2017 fight with Mayweather, along with the line: “I accept.” The post appears to have subsequently been deleted.
McGregor, though, remains under a promotional contract with the UFC - and any return to boxing would require sign-off by UFC president Dana White, who has already been denied access to McGregor in the past year owing to the broken leg he suffered last summer in a fight with rival Dustin Poirier.
But Mayweather reportedly doesn't see this is being a major obstacle.
“The fight is still on as far as Floyd is concerned,” the source explained.
“It's a no-brainer for Conor to accept. When it comes to Dana, Floyd says 'I pay better' and that's all that matters.”
The 2017 fight between Mayweather and McGregor drew the second-highest pay-per-view buy rate in history, only behind Mayweather's showdown with Manny Pacquiao.
The addition of a Mayweather protege Gervonta Davis to the card against Ryan Garcia would add some additional (and sizeable) interest to the potential rematch - though it would remain to be seen if Mayweather and McGregor could captivate the public's attention quite as much as they did ahead of their 2017 fight.
McGregor remains in the final stages of his recovery from his leg injury and is expected to return to the Octagon before the end of 2022.
