Terence Crawford says he was never given a serious offer to fight Conor McGregor.
Next weekend, Conor McGregor makes his long-awaited return to the cage when he rematches Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329 in Las Vegas. It’s McGregor’s first fight in five years, and as such, “Notorious” has been out making the media rounds ahead of his return. A few weeks back, while promoting the fight, McGregor claimed that Turki Al-Sheikh had offered him and boxing great Terence Crawford $200 million to do a pair of crossover fights, one in boxing and one in MMA, but Crawford declined.
But that’s not how Crawford remembers it.
”That was a lie,” Crawford told Yahoo Sports. “It was cap. It wasn’t never no $200 million offer,” Crawford said. “They asked me would I do it, and I told them, ‘You ain’t about to be kicking on me, Conor.’ We were on FaceTime, and I did tell him that. But they didn’t say, ‘Hey, you got $200 million. You fight him in boxing and MMA.’ That was never the case. …
”If it was said to me, I could say there was an offer, but if nothing is previewed to me, I can’t say what is what. He’s making up numbers, in my head.”
Instead, Crawford went on with his boxing career, cementing himself as arguably the best boxer of his generation and an all-time great, retiring from the sport as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the game. But looking back on it, Crawford — who has some grappling experience, having wrestled in his youth — says that had a real offer ever been made for that amount, he’d have gone for it.
“I would have done it. Why wouldn’t I?” Crawford said. “I don’t need to do it 1783002082. Back then, it would have been a good deal. Right now, where I’m sitting at right now, I don’t need to do it. I’m in a different space in my life right now where I don’t have to take those fights. Back then, I probably would have took it. I would have been like, ‘Alright, let’s do it.’
“Conor’s not the best wrestler. I’m not saying I’m the best wrestler either, though, but I know standing up, it’s only going to take one good shot, and I’m going to put him to sleep. He’s going to try to kick me, and takedowns, we’re just going to do what we do.”
Unfortunately for fans, that time has come and gone. Crawford retired last year following his win over Canelo Alvarez to become only the second male boxer in history to win undisputed championships in three weight classes. And with a legacy like that already secured, “Bud” says he’s not even thinking about coming back.
”I’m happily retired, and I don’t see myself coming back,” Crawford said. “Done done.”
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SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Erin Blanchfield (14-2) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (15-4); UFC 330, Aug. 15.
Edson Barboza (24-14) vs. Esteban Ribovics (15-3); UFC 330, Aug. 15.
Mansur Abdul-Malik (9-1-1) vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (16-8); UFC 330, Aug. 15.
Jeremiah Wells (13-4-1) vs. Myktybek Orolbai (16-2-1); UFC 330, Aug. 15.
Geoff Neal (16-8) vs. Chidi Njokuani (25-12); UFC 330, Aug. 15.
Neil Magny (31-14) vs. Ramiz Brahimaj (13-6); UFC 330, Aug. 15.
Jalin Turner (15-9) vs. Kaue Fernandes (11-2); UFC 330, Aug. 15.
First and foremost, happy birthday, America.
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See y’all on Monday as we kick off UFC 329 Fight Week.
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