Conor McGregor says Floyd Mayweather Jr. was the one to start negotiations over a megafight between them, with the UFC superstar bullish over his chances of knocking out the undefeated legend.
Mayweather and McGregor have skirted around a potential cross-combat bout for much of the latter half of 2016, in which time "The Notorious" became the UFC's first multi-division champion by beating lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.
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Though the Irishman has since been stripped of his featherweight title — a move he refuses to acknowledge — he has talked and fought his way to become one of combat sport's most marketable athletes.
And McGregor believes such a reputation attracted the 49-0 Mayweather to a possible "Money" showdown.
"Originally what happened was Floyd called me up," McGregor said at an event in Belfast, Northern Ireland. "That's originally what happened. I don't care about Floyd. I don't give a f— about Floyd. I do not give a f— about Floyd. I don't fear no man under no rule set.
"I'm sitting there minding my own business, dominating true fighting and Floyd calls me out and leaks a rumor that we're supposed to fight or something like that. So what I did was I opened up my eyes a little bit.
"I went: 'Hold on. Maybe I can pursue this. Maybe I can pursue the boxing side. Maybe there's something there.' So we went to it. We were in the background of negotiations and we'll see what happens."
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McGregor was issued a boxing license by the state of California on Wednesday, adding fuel to the fire of a potential fight.
"Since I've got that boxing license, Floyd's fat manager came out and was like 'Oh Floyd's in the Bahamas, he doesn't care about Conor,'" McGregor said. "Well I don't give a f— about Floyd either. If you don't want this fight, that's no problem.
"If I focus with the work ethic I have solely on the sport of boxing, there's no telling what I could do. I would not go in there just to show up, I'd go in there to knock him out. That's it. He can be hit, he's been hit before. Age waits for no man. I know the size is on my side, I know the reach is on my side, I know the youth is on my side."
Former WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi has already offered himself as a potential first boxing opponent for McGregor, who was characteristically dismissive of the New Yorker.
"Who the f— is that guy?" McGregor said. "I don't know who the f— that is but I'll slap the nose off him if he ever mentions my name again."