Khabib Nurmagomedov details latest stance on potential boxing match with Floyd Mayweather
Khabib Nurmagomedov first expressed his interest in facing Floyd Mayweather in late 2018.
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UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has appeared to move on from a potential boxing match with Floyd Mayweather. The undefeated Russian first revealed his desire to lock horns with Mayweather in the weeks following his fourth-round submission victory over Conor McGregor in October 2018.
Mayweather, who is currently enjoying his third retirement, publicly entertained the idea of welcoming the Dagestani to the squared circle.
Despite a public back-and-forth nearly spanning two years, a Mayweather vs Nurmagomedov matchup has come no closer to coming to fruition.
In March, however, Nurmagomedov claimed he'd received a lucrative offer to take on the former four-weight world champion.
“Mayweather is only a money fight,” Nurmagomedov said at the Dominance MMA media day. “It's only for the money, period. That's it.
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“But they [the Saudis] want me to come very badly to fight with Mayweather.”
The biggest roadblock for the bout is undoubtedly Nurmagomedov's contractual obligations with the UFC, who would have to give him their express permission to compete outside the confines of the Octagon.
And at this moment in time, it appears 'The Eagle' doesn't want to rock the boat with his current employers.
He said: "They told me: 'Yes, you'll be scolded, fined. But we'll take care of all the fines.'
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"I told them that, for me, a contract is more important than money and we can't have an agreement with UFC if we're willing to break it.
"I'm not aware of the UFC's own position on the Mayweather fight."
Nurmagomedov's next outing will take place in October in the main event of UFC 254, where he'll lock horns with Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title unification fight.
Mayweather, meanwhile, was on course to return to the ring this year prior to the deaths of his uncle Roger and ex-girlfriend Josie Harris.
The Olympian was set to team up with UFC president Dana White, who had plans to make serious inroads into the boxing world with Zuffa Boxing.
Those plans, however, appear to have shelved, with White recently saying: “I told you guys that I would have a press conference last October and announce all these things, but as I dove into this thing and started to look into the sport of boxing, the economics of boxing, that sport’s a mess.
"It’s a mess and it’s in big trouble. I don’t know. I don’t know if it can be fixed.”