It has been eight years since Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor stepped into the boxing ring for a historic crossover fight in Paradise, Nevada.
Even today, the event remains one of the most surreal moments in combat sports history.
Before the fight even began, referee Robert Byrd made it clear to McGregor that this was boxing, not MMA.
“You’re going to hear me say stop because I’m not going to wrestle with you, and I’m not going to grapple with you,” Byrd stated.
McGregor, one of the first MMA fighters to transition into boxing at this level, faced speculation about whether he would stick to boxing rules. Ultimately, Mayweather proved his superiority, securing a TKO victory in Round 10 in front of 14,623 fans at T-Mobile Arena.
The bout generated 4.3 million domestic pay-per-view buys and over $600 million in total revenue, according to Showtime, cementing its place as one of the most lucrative fights of all time.
The Mayweather-McGregor showdown was a groundbreaking event, paving the way for future crossover fights between boxing and MMA. Speaking about his career in an interview with Brian Mazique, Mayweather acknowledged that his fight with McGregor helped reshape the fight game.
“Me and Canelo did record-breaking numbers, but I think the Conor McGregor fight was when we really broke the mold. We showed that MMA and boxing could come together, and that opened the floodgates for YouTubers and everyone else to get involved in boxing,” Mayweather explained.
Could McGregor fight again?
Despite his absence from MMA, McGregor has remained active in combat sports as a part-owner of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).
He has expressed interest in competing in the brutal, gloves-off promotion, but contractual obligations remain a hurdle. With two fights left on his UFC contract, any potential BKFC debut would require UFC’s approval.
BKFC President David Feldman acknowledged the difficulties.
“I can’t make that fight happen unless the UFC wanted to do something with us, and they don’t need us for anything.”
While a Mayweather-McGregor rematch isn’t currently in the works, McGregor’s rumored fight against Logan Paul in India was reportedly blocked by UFC CEO Dana White. With limited options outside of the UFC, McGregor may have no choice but to return to the Octagon and fulfill his contract before exploring other opportunities.
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