Mayweather vs Khabib: Analyst says it’s unlikely happening as UFC manager claims boxer is ‘begging’ for a fight

Floyd Mayweather has been adamant about staying retired, especially when it comes to talks about his rematch with still-active boxer Manny Pacquiao. However, he is more open to going back to the ring when it comes to fighting the biggest names in Ultimate Fighting Championship such as Conor McGregor’s rival Khabib Nurmagomedov.

The rumors of a Mayweather vs. Nurmagomedov event started to catch attention shortly after the latter’s blockbuster fight with McGregor in October 2018. It is once again brought up recently with claims that Mayweather is insisting on making it happen.

Mayweather ‘begging’ for a boxing match with Nurmagomedov

Nurmagomedov’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, is responsible for the renewed rumors when he told TMZ Sports that Mayweather’s camp has been “begging” for them to agree on the fight. Abdelaziz added that other interested parties have also been contacting them “every week,” but they are not inclined in setting it up “for now.”

Retired mixed martial artist and analyst Michael Bisping chimed in on the reports saying that the Mayweather and Nurmagomedov match is unlikely happening. “They broke the mold in doing that with McGregor, I think if they continue to do that and form a pattern then more and more fighters are going to want to do that and it starts creating legal problems with contracts and things like that,” Bisping explained to Omnisport (via Yahoo Sports).

Mayweather vs. Khabib: How it all started

Back in 2018, the retired boxer (50-0) told TMZ Sports that since he is his own boss, he can say that the fight with Nurmagomedov is possible. All these talks started with both athletes dissing one another. Nurmagomedov called out Mayweather for not being able to knock out McGregor, a newly-certified boxer at the time of their fight in 2017.

Mayweather retaliated by saying Nurmagomedov only got his “leftovers” when he defeated McGregor via submission in 2018. Mayweather wants to settle their word fight in a real match. Of course, it has to be in a boxing ring where he was never defeated professionally.

Last year, UFC President Dana White dismissed these rumors and told ESPN that Mayweather’s camp has never officially reached out to him to make the fight happen. White also reiterated that Nurmagomedov is signed with UFC, so all his fights have to be dealt with through his office.