UFC boss Dana White calls Floyd Mayweather’s bluff over superfight

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White: I won't stop Conor2:29

UFC: Dana White says he won't stop Conor McGregor fighting Floyd Mayweather

• March 16th 2017
• a day ago
• /video/video.news.com.au/Sport/More Sports/

Your move Floyd.

FOR months, UFC president Dana White shot down the idea that lightweight champion Conor McGregor would ever face Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match.

Well it appears White has changed his mind.

During an appearance on US late night talk show “Conan” on Wednesday night, White said without hesitation that he believes a deal will get done to pit McGregor against Mayweather in one of the most lucrative super fights in combat sports history.

“I do. I do think it’s going to happen,” White said. “

I think it’s going to be a tough deal, there’s obviously a lot of egos involved in this deal and a lot of people so that always makes it tougher.

“On the flipside, there’s so much money involved, I just don’t see how it doesn’t happen.

“Floyd’s definitely not knocking him out, that’s for sure. I’m not saying that Conor would win this boxing match, but it sure makes it interesting.”

American sport commentator Skip Bayless has since declared White has ulterior motives in publicly declaring his support for the cross-over fight.

He said White’s comments suggest the fight promoters must have reached a deal with the UFC for the fight promotion to earn a significant piece of the fight’s total revenue pie.

“I am pleasantly shocked that Dana said this,” Bayless said on his Undisputed Fox Sports US show.

The dollar always wins.Source:AFP

“Even very recently before the Super Bowl, Dana all but laughed at the potential of this fight happening when he said, ‘It’s more likely I would be Tom Brady’s back-up quarterback in the Super Bowl,’ than this fight actually occurring. Do you remember that?

“But, of course, you have to follow the money here. Conor is still under contract to Dana White’s UFC, so I’m just going to assume that in the interim, from the Super Bowl to now, that UFC and Conor’s people have made an arrangement that the proceeds will be split, X, Y to Z.

“And that Dana is very comfortable with UFC’s split, as are Dana’s bosses. God bless them, more power to them.”

He said White’s comments put all the pressure on Mayweather to make the deal happen, even if all the parties aren’t close to a resolution.

“Dana just put the ball right back in Floyd’s court,” he said.

If the last super fight was anything to go by, we’re not missing anything.Source:Getty Images

“I believe that Dana is calling Floyd’s bluff, and I still think it is a big, bad bluff on Floyd’s part.

“They’re going to hold his feet to the fire. They’re going to put the bus back on Floyd to come to the bargaining table — because right now, Floyd’s really just jabbing and running, jabbing and running.

“He wants the public to believe he’s all but screaming for a fight while on the table is an insulting offer to Conor McGregor, and in turn, to UFC that no way Conor or UFC will agree to take.

“So, my gut feeling, bottom line is I still doubt that Floyd May-or-may- not-weather will accept the terms of any fight, because Floyd is not going to dare to risk his 49-0 legacy against the baddest man on the planet who’s 13 years younger?”

He said White’s comments mean Mayweather can’t runaway from the fight and blame money negotiations.

He claims McGregor is now a bigger drawcard than the undefeated boxing legend.

“The point is that Floyd wants the public to believe that he wants this fight, but all he’ll do is continue to make excuses,” he said.

“So now let’s get back to what Dana just threw onto the table, as he dared Floyd to take this fight. He said Floyd’s [short]. That’s true… he’s much smaller than Conor McGregor is. By Floyd’s standards, Conor’s a big, bad boy. He’s much longer and stronger than Floyd Mayweather is.”