Could we really have seen Conor McGregor and former undisputed boxing champion Terence Crawford share the ring – and the cage?
If McGregor is to be believed, the answer is yes.
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During a surprise appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, McGregor claimed a blockbuster two-fight deal worth $200 million had been proposed a few years ago, with the Irish superstar facing Crawford first in MMA before meeting him again in a boxing ring.
But the first simultaneous two-belt UFC champion said Crawford turned down the Turki Alalshikh-led offer.
“I got on the phone, ‘What’s the craic, Terence? It’s the Mac Daddy. I got [Turki] here,” McGregor told Helwani what he said to Crawford.
“We’ve got a big deal for you. It’s hundreds of millions, $200 million to be exact. Mixed martial arts against me, and a boxing one against you.”
McGregor then revealed what Crawford’s reasoning was in turning down the lucrative offer.
“I don’t want to be kicked by you. No way,” McGregor said. “Whatever, that’s fine. I don’t know how as a man, or as a combatant, you couldn’t want to test yourself.”
Crawford does have experience in wrestling as he competed back in his high school days in Omaha, NE. His son, Terence Jr., recently won the Nebraska state wrestling title.
The revelation also helps explain McGregor’s recent social media feud with Crawford, with the pair exchanging barbs online in recent days as the Irishman repeatedly questioned the boxing great’s willingness to step outside his comfort zone.
The claim comes as McGregor prepares for his long-awaited return to the Octagon, nearly five years after suffering a horrific broken leg in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier in 2021.
The UFC icon will square off with Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329 on Sunday, July 12, marking his first appearance inside the cage since the injury that sidelined him.
And McGregor revealed he already knows when he’ll fight next.
“I have both dates for my fights,” McGregor said.
“I have July 11, and when would you think they put me back in? April 2027. It’s almost a year later. That’s ridiculous to me. But this is the way the contract was done. I have a second date in April 2027.”
McGregor also revealed that his contract has been adjusted following the UFC’s move away from the traditional pay-per-view model.
While he declined to disclose the specifics of the deal, the Irishman said he would be open to negotiating an extension down the track.
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“We met in the middle,” he said of his compensation.
“We got a juicy one. Was it what my worth is? Probably not. Was it what they wanted to offer? Definitely not. I’m a fair operator. I love the Ultimate Fighting Championship and I’d love to continue. Let’s see how it goes.”
Parts of this story first appeared on DAZN News.