Mayweather strikes back at White

It began on May 6, 2016, when prizefighter Floyd Mayweather’s team let Rupert Murdoch’s The Sun believe that then UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather Jr. were about to announce they’d be boxing in Vegas. The duo bickered back and forth ever since.

It appeared to have nearly died out until last week when Mayweather named his price $100,000,000.

White offered a counter – $25,000,000.

Next Mayweather said, “You’re a f***ing comedian,” and repeated it.

Then White said to TMZ Sports, “For him to think that he’s a much bigger star than Conor isn’t true. I’m not going to pay him way more money than I’m going to pay my guy.”

One of the odder aspects of the situation is that throughout White has said for Mayweather to call him, as McGregor is contractually forbidden from boxing, so any fight has to go through the boss. That call hasn’t happened, so the negotiation is taking place through the media.

A worked up Mayweather has again responded.

The last time I made $25 million – actually I made more – but the last time I made $25 million was 10 years ago, said Mayweather, as transcribe by Jed Meshew for MMA Fighting. I’m not bragging or boasting I’m just telling the truth. I’m appreciative and thankful, $25 million is still great money. But for the last, I don’t know how many years, my guaranteed lowest was like, 32, a little bit over 32.*

“In the Canelo fight I made over $100 million in that fight and just in two fights, Pacquiao and Canelo, those two fights, somewhere upwards of $400 million, $400 million or better. Sponsorship money leading up to the Pacquiao fight, that week I made 25 to 30 million. So these are my numbers. They can say, ‘Floyd’s lying’ all they want to. If I was so desperate and hurting for money I would come back.

I don’t want to talk to Dana White. Remember, Dana White, he was a player he was a boss but he was a small boss. The big bosses were the Fertittas. But then the Fertitta’s chose to sell the UFC so Dana is just an employee. Dana White – I like Dana White, I don’t have anything against him – but I can remember Dana White used to hang around me and Jeff Mayweather and carry my bags.

Dana White, I remember when you used to carry my bags. And remember Dana White, I showed you love. You had the little Bullenbeisser patch I wore on my trunks for you, Dana.** I’ve always been good to you. But then all of the sudden he cut his head bald and he’s such a tough guy. He’s such a tough guy.

All I’ve got to say is this, why every time Conor McGregor go out there and fight, Dana White is still an employee but Dana White makes more money than Conor McGregor when McGregor go out there and fight?

Thr truth is, Mayweather needs this fight.

Rocky Marciano retired with a record of 49-0. Floyd Mayweather is 49-0. Beating that Marciano record is a curse. Respectful of boxing’s traditions, Mayweather needs a fight to break the record that he knows he can win, even with a curse. That’s Conor McGregor. The huge money he’d back is nice too, but beating Rocky Marciano is priceless.

And McGregor cannot lose. He makes $25,000,000 and a cut of the PPV, and it’s not his sport. He can taunt McGregor about returning the fight in the Octagon for eternity.

It’s White that seems not to care much. So Floyd, call him.

*Mayweather’s retirement fight vs. Andre Berto made him $32 million.

**In a 2009 interview with AskMen, Mayweather referenced the patch, which was the logo for a line of boxing apparel. “I knew him in the past because he was trying to get something called a Bullenbeisser, which is a boxer dog — he was trying to get me to sponsor it for him,” said Mayweather. “I wore it on my trunks at the beginning, before MMA was even thought about.”