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Floyd Mayweather v Khabib Nurmagomedov fight 'should happen in UFC'

Last updated on .From the section Mixed Martial Artscomments121

Mayweather, White and Khabib
Dana White (centre) wants Floyd Mayweather to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in a mixed martial arts bout

Boxer Floyd Mayweather should step into the octagon to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in a "real fight", says UFC president Dana White.

UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov has suggested he could follow in Conor McGregor's footsteps and try boxing, with Mayweather encouraging the bout.

But White wants to see the fight happen in a mixed martial arts arena.

"Listen, if Mayweather wants to fight, come fight. You fight in the UFC," White told TMZ.external-link

"We're not boxing again. We did that once, that's over. You want to fight? You come fight - a real fight."

Nurmagomedov and Mayweather's exchange began with the Russian calling out the former five-weight world champion after defeating McGregor on the Irishman's return to UFC earlier this month.

Mayweather beat McGregor himself in August 2017 in a fight that generated more than £450m and earned the 41-year-old American £210m.

The boxer told Nurmagomedov to "come into my world", with the 30-year-old responding by saying he was keen for the bout to happen in Moscow.

Nurmagomedov is currently serving a ban issued by the Nevada State Athletic Commission as it investigates the brawl that followed his world title win over McGregor.

And UFC president White says he should face American lightweight Tony Ferguson on his return.

"Tony Ferguson is the right fight," he added. "It's the fight to make. It obviously depends on the suspension and what happens - we'll see."

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121 comments

  • Comment posted by markyp1965, at 12:26 30 Oct 2018

    Not a chance of Mayweather fighting under UFC rules.....end of.

  • Comment posted by Sk1d, at 12:10 30 Oct 2018

    When you people stop paying for these waste of time, nonsense fights, then they will stop putting them on!!

  • Comment posted by Mr T, at 12:21 30 Oct 2018

    And in next news. Shark believes it should have it's next fight in the water having previously lost to a Lion whlst fighting on the savannah. "Let Johnny Big Claws have a go in my hood, the last fight he caught me with a lucky paw, let's see him try and do that at 300ft depth........."

  • Comment posted by firminos teeth, at 11:53 30 Oct 2018

    Khabib is doing a very poor job at marketing himself. The fight will never happen, its a joke, he doesnt have the personality of McGregor to gain the right type of interest.

    His stand up boxing skills would be worse the McGregors, this fight doesnt capture the imagination at all.

    He should fight Ferguson with some now added extra fame and show the world what he is good at.

  • Comment posted by keeping it real 2016, at 12:52 30 Oct 2018

    Stop your fighters from calling out a retired boxer for money then you fool.
    As for 'a proper fight', most people I know would jump in on a fight in the street if someone just sat on someone's chest & pounded them in the face.
    If your rules are even more open than a street fight that's your fault but it's not a proper fight.

  • Comment posted by Scots Aye, at 11:42 30 Oct 2018

    yea like that's going to happen dana...

  • Comment posted by redgringo, at 12:09 30 Oct 2018

    Mayweather wouldn't take that fight in a million years. Ridiculous.

  • Comment posted by RiffRaff, at 12:13 30 Oct 2018

    Two different skill sets and there is no way FM could win if he took it and it wasn't under the Queensbury rules. An absolute joke and insult to fight fans from both sides intelligence and Khabib isn't a boxer and would get ironed out, fact!

  • Comment posted by Navers, at 12:23 30 Oct 2018

    Does anyone really care about this non-story? If you believe even 0.01% of it is true, then you're off your nut.

  • Comment posted by U16579585, at 12:23 30 Oct 2018

    MMA seems to be trying to crossover to the mainstream, so as part of this mainstream audience, I have a genuine question.....

    Is the UFC promoting real fights and real championships, or is it an entertainment vehicle such as WWE?

    All this attacking busses and jumping into the crowd for a punch-up makes me wonder how much of it is scripted and how much is true sport. I'm really not sure.

  • Comment posted by Teddy M, at 12:52 30 Oct 2018

    Mayweather would get utterly marmalised in the octagon; as would Khabib in the boxing ring. Completely and utterly pointless in either event taking place.

  • Comment posted by I Miss That Shed, at 13:39 30 Oct 2018

    Roger Federer: Hi Tiger - i bet you $10m i could beat you at tennis. Fancy it?
    Tiger Woods: No thanks. I'll play you at golf for $20m though - What do you say?
    Roger: Nah, its ok thanks. I'll see if Usain Bolt fancies a game.

  • Comment posted by GunnerBear, at 14:12 30 Oct 2018

    The pathetically childish and immature behaviour of the UFC eclipses any of the banter that professional boxing has dabbled with by a country mile.

    If Nurma wants to fight Floyd he'll have to go to the boxing ring. White is just bitter that the UFC and himself of course will miss out on another big payday.

    If White and the UFC had treated Nurma properly he might not be looking elsewhere...

  • Comment posted by Dreddy Tennis, at 13:04 30 Oct 2018

    Ha. Mayweather isn't the one who needs money or needs to prove himself.

    So it's for MMA to make the fight that interests Mayweather, not the other way around.

  • Comment posted by LeeRob7, at 09:19 31 Oct 2018

    @113 scared of what? A bunch of blokes cuddling on the ground? If I wanted to watch wrestling I’d watch WWE, at least they make it look interesting. MMA is bollocks until you match 2 fighters that are prepared to stand toe to toe and exchange blows. Boxing will ALWAYS be the superior sport, in MMA there’s far too much ground work for mine and many others liking

  • Comment posted by reynoldo, at 18:57 30 Oct 2018

    Why on earth would FM do that? He would get beaten and possibly hurt. He's arguably the greatest boxer of all time. And the reason is because he doesn't get hit!

  • Comment posted by ninety, at 13:48 30 Oct 2018

    Nonsense; all it'll prove is that UFC fighters are better--- at UFC

  • Comment posted by brumbrum, at 12:51 30 Oct 2018

    That's like asking a dressage horse rider to compete in a rodeo.

    Can we please wise up and appreciate that the majority of arguments / taunts that come out of the mouths of boxers and fighters are purely just PR stunts? Stop falling for it please BBC. This is not article worthy.

  • Comment posted by frenchy232, at 20:24 30 Oct 2018

    What a pointless call out, a real fight, his last fight involved wrapping his legs around his opponent for the majority, he is clearly successful at what he does but will get destroyed by any half decent boxer, MW has no need or reason to fight other than on his terms, get real

  • Comment posted by ProudCornishMan, at 20:10 30 Oct 2018

    Nurmagomedov called out Mayweather not vice versa, so why would Mayweather fight Nurmagomedov in the Octagon.

    Nurmagomedov is the champ in the octagon, he beat McGregor on every level, so should cement his legacy in MMA and forget fighting Mayweather, a fight he will not win or do well in....other than do very well financially.

    It is all about the Money Money Money.

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