Boxing champ Terence Crawford explains why he rejected Conor McGregor MMA battle

Boxing champion Terence Crawford had the chance to take part in an enormous crossover battle towards Conor McGregor.

Crawford (40-0), a four-weight world champion in boxing, presently holds the WBA and interim WBO tremendous welterweight titles. Former UFC light-weight champion McGregor (0-1) may have been on his resume, as he revealed there have been as soon as talks with the Irish MMA famous person.

Rumors of a two-fight cope with McGregor, one boxing bout and one MMA battle, had been lately floating round. Crawford acknowledged there have been conversations immediately with McGregor about making the fights come collectively, however he determined to show down the provide.

Whereas Crawford didn’t reveal when these conversations passed off, he defined why he gained’t compete in MMA.

“I informed Conor to himself; I mentioned, ‘Hell naw,’” Crawford informed Bernie Tha Boxer on a YouTube dwell stream. “They referred to as me, they supplied me the battle. Me and Conor bought on the telephone; we began politicking, you understand, making an attempt to determine one thing out.

“I simply informed him, ‘Man, I’m not getting in no f*cking octagon with you so that you might be kicking me and elbowing me and sh*t.’ And so, he will get to laughing and sh*t. He’s like, ‘Man, I respect that since you respect my sport similar to I respect your sport, and also you perceive that in case you get within the octagon with me, you’re going to be at an obstacle. Identical to if I get within the boxing ring with you, I’m going to be at an obstacle.’”

Regardless that “The Infamous” McGregor, 36, understood the bodily causes for turning down the battle, Crawford, 37, mentioned the Irishman tried to attraction to his checking account.

“He was like, ‘However we’ll make a sh*t ton of cash!’” Crawford mentioned laughing, recalling what McGregor added. “I mentioned, ‘Yeah, typically it ain’t in regards to the cash.’ I can generate income, however you ain’t about to be kicking me, dude. Them kicks and elbows, that sh*t ain’t no joke.”

Crawford is doing very nicely monetarily within the boxing world. If all events had been on board, a crossover battle with McGregor would have been large enterprise. Floyd Mayweather boxed McGregor in 2017, which proved to be a profitable occasion for all concerned, however Crawford would somewhat deal with his boxing legacy than combine in a one-off MMA battle.

Crawford is coming off a profitable outing towards Israil Madrimov in August. He desires to battle Canelo Alvarez, however negotiations haven’t produced any traction. His subsequent battle within the ring could also be towards Sebastian Fundora, which might give Crawford the chance to seize three of the 4 154-pound titles.

McGregor hasn’t competed in any fight sport since July 2021 at UFC 264, the place he broke his leg in a first-round TKO loss to Dustin Poirier. Regardless of teaching reverse Michael Chandler on “The Final Fighter” and saying he desires to return to motion, there isn’t a indication of when or the place McGregor will battle subsequent, if ever once more.