If Mayweather wants to fight McGregor it needs to be across three events | Josh Gross

Jan 19, 2017

The prospective fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor is rubbernecking at its worst, but history offers precedent for events like these

At the height of UFC middleweight Anderson Silva’s great career in 2009, he began lobbying to box Roy Jones Jr. It was Silva’s dream, he said, and for a time, other than a one-on-one bout with his clone, boxing Jones became the Brazilian’s biggest goal. UFC president Dana White spoke openly about knowing Jones. Of being friendly with Jones. And, while not quite understanding why anyone would want to see it, of wanting to deliver the bout for both Jones and Silva.

Of course, though Jones was willing, it didn’t happen. Silva has chalked up the missed opportunity to the notion that White really wasn’t interested in making the bout because it would have set a precedent that future stars might follow. White would “lose control”, Silva said, if he allowed athletes contracted to the UFC to venture off into other areas of combat sports to seek challenges.

Tags: Boxing Conor McGregor Floyd Mayweather MMA Sport UFC US sports