CONOR McGREGOR is set to do battle with Floyd Mayweather once again in a rematch of their iconic 2017 showdown.
The Irishman is in talks for the sensational sequel which could be worth almost €1 BILLION.
The Dubliner lost to ‘Money’ in what was a monumental crossover event which reportedly bagged the UFC ace over €100 MILLION.
Their rematch, however, could see both men clear almost €450 MILLION.
McGregor has not fought since breaking his leg last July, and despite speculation placing him against the likes of Jorge Masvidal, it looks likely that he will opt for the ring rather than the octagon.
Their first fight was a surreal, monumental occasion which transcended the ropes within which it took place.
The concept of McGregor vs Mayweather was teased well before 2017.
In November 2016, McGregor suggested that he would ‘get Mayweather out of bed’ in the lead up to his clash with Eddie Alvarez for the UFC lightweight title.
By that point, Conor had won the featherweight strap from Jose Aldo and fought Nate Diaz twice – losing once and winning the other.
He would make history by dominating Alvarez to become the first-ever two-weight simultaneous champ, before stepping away from MMA altogether.
.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}
Most read in Boxing
.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}
He wouldn’t return to the octagon until 2020, when he lost to then-lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov.
In the interim, he ventured into boxing, with The Irish Sun revealing advanced talks for a fight with Mayweather in December 2016.
The following February, we revealed that the bombastic, billion-bucks bout was agreed, with Mayweather hinting that it could take place that June.
In contrast, McGregor claimed that the fight would happen in September 2017.
Even before it was announced, it was proving to be a divisive prospect, with Eddie Hearn calling it the ‘biggest boxing mismatch in history.’
Finally, after six months of preamble, speculation, and call-outs, the fight was officially announced in June 2017, with fans split in the aftermath.
Nonetheless, McGregor was set to make an eye-watering €88 MILLION from the bout that would happen on August 26 in Las Vegas.
MAC TALK
For the next four months, the build-up and pageantry was extraordinary, with press conferences playing host to pro-wrestling style promos from both.
The first of a globe-spanning tour of face-offs took place in Los Angeles in July 2017.
There were verbal barbs and trash-talking throughout, with Conor McGregor warning he would ‘bounce Mayweather’s head off the canvas’ in front of 20,000 expectant fans.
Notoriously – pun very much intended – McGregor attended that first presser in a custom made suit, with pin stripes spelling out ‘f*** you’.
There was controversy during that same press conference, however, when McGregor was accused of racism for saying: ‘dance for me, boy’.
In the New York leg, he sought to defend himself in when he said: “I want to address something.
“Some of the media seems to think I’ve got something against black people.
“But I’m half black. I’m black from the bellybutton down!”
On the flipside, Mayweather was accused of homophobia during an X-rated London press conference as the verbal intensity turned up to 11.
Anybody and everybody chimed in with predictions, with Manny Pacquiao predicting that McGregor would be outclassed, while Tyson Fury tipped ‘The Notorious’ to KO ‘Money’
The fight finally took place on August 26, 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where Imelda May sang The National Anthem on the night.
The fight itself lasted 10 rounds, with the novice giving as good as he got against his iconic opponent.
In the end, however, class shone through, as Mayweather extended his indomitable undefeated streak to 50-0.
In the years that have passed since, there have been whispers that the rematch could potentially happen.
Finally, after five years, the battle that few thought would happen in the first place could get an improbable sequel.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
