Khabib receives ultimatum from Floyd Mayweather over crossover fight: My way, my rules
FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR has once again told Khabib Nurmagomedov he must enter the boxing world if he wants to have a multi-million-pound fight with him.
Khabib’s manager says Mayweather match would be ‘a real fight’
Nurmagomedov revealed his eagerness to do battle with the hall-of-fame boxer a few days after successfully defending his lightweight title against Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 229.
“Hey let’s go, Floyd, we have to fight now," the Russian said in a video alongside Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe.
"50 and 0 verses 27 and 0, two guys that never lose. Let’s go, why not?
"Because in the jungle only one king, only one king. Of course, I am the king. Because he [Mayweather] can not drop McGregor but I drop him easily.”
Mayweather was quick to accept the UFC lightweight champion’s challenge, but ruled out the possibility of him facing the Russian inside the Octagon.
And on Wednesday night, ‘Money’ reiterated his stipulation for a bout with ‘The Eagle’.
“They came to me talking about the Khabib fight,” 41-year-old Mayweather told TMZ Sports. “Khabib called me out, I didn’t call Khabib out.
“They said it has to happen in the Octagon and I said, ‘You just tell me where Khabib has made nine figures before in the Octagon.
If you guys want the fight to happen, you must come my way
"If he hasn’t made nine figures, he’s not the A side. I’m the A side, so if you guys want the fight to happen, you must come my way. My way, my rules.”
The unlikely fight between Mayweather and Nurmagomedov won’t happen anytime soon as the former will compete in an exhibition bout against Tenshin Nasukawa at RIZIN 14 on New Year’s Eve.
Nurmagomedov’s ongoing issues with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the result of his part in the brawl which followed his submission victory over McGregor, are also another hurdle that must be overcome if the fight is to come to fruition.
The Dagestan native - who sparked the melee by attempting to attack McGregor’s team-mate Dillon Danis - is due to appear before the commission on December 10, though he won’t have to if a settlement deal is reached.
Mayweather is well aware of the lucrative payday yet another crossover fight would bring him but is seemingly not in any rush to make it happen.
“Has to [be boxing],” he concluded. “My way, my rules. I’m Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather.
“Even if it don’t happen, I’m comfortable. I’ve got a great life.
“Houses all over L.A. I’m retired and I’m still living a great life.”
Mayweather retired from boxing for the second time in August 2017 after registering a tenth-round TKO over former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor, who was one of the biggest critics of his fight with Nasukawa.