Terence Crawford has dismissed Conor McGregor’s recent claim that he turned down a staggering $200 million offer for a two-fight crossover series. The retired boxing legend says the proposal McGregor described simply never existed.
Speaking on Ariel Helwani’s Uncrowned, Crawford addressed comments McGregor made last month regarding a proposed deal brokered by Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh.
According to McGregor, the offer called for two fights an MMA bout first, followed by a boxing match with a reported value of $200 million.
Terence Crawford flatly rejected that version of events. “That was a lie,” Crawford said. “It was cap.” “There was never a $200 million offer. They asked me what I’d do, and I told them, ‘You ain’t about to be kicking on me, Conor.’ We were on FaceTime and I did tell him that.”
No Formal Offer Was Ever Made
Crawford explained that while discussions about a hypothetical matchup did occur, no official financial proposal was ever presented to him. “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 privy to me, I can’t say what is what.” “He’s making up numbers, in my head.”
Ironically, Crawford revealed he likely would have accepted the deal had it actually been offered during his fighting career.
“I would have done it… Why wouldn’t I?” The undefeated pound-for-pound great, however, says retirement has changed his outlook. “I don’t need to do it today after retiring.” “Back then, it would have been a good deal. Right now, where I’m sitting, I don’t need to do it.”
After defeating Canelo Alvarez to become a two-weight undisputed world champion, Crawford walked away from boxing at the top of the sport.
Even though he respected the challenge, Crawford believes he would have held significant advantages against the former two-division UFC champion.
“Conor’s not the best wrestler.” “I’m not saying I’m the best wrestler either, 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.”
A Dream Fight That Never Happened
McGregor has frequently discussed crossover opportunities since his lucrative 2017 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. A showdown with Crawford would have paired one of boxing’s greatest technicians against one of mixed martial arts’ biggest global stars.
According to Terence Crawford, however, the blockbuster matchup never advanced beyond casual conversations. Whether the reported offer was misunderstood, exaggerated, or simply never materialized, Crawford insists one thing is certain: The $200 million deal McGregor described was never placed in front of him.
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