Floyd Mayweather is already a firm favourite to beat Irish MMA fighter Connor McGregor, if and when the two meet, in the boxing ring.
Mayweather retired from boxing two-years ago with a perfect 49-0 record, level to that of the great Rocky Marciano.
The fight with McGregor would give him the chance to go to 50-0, a mark he was never overly bothered about reaching – but the talk of a fight between one of boxing biggest ever superstars and UFC’s number one McGregor is only intensifying.
McGregor was granted a Nevada State Athletic Commission boxing licence last term, meaning the two weight UFC champion could meet Mayweather in a bout in Las Vegas.
Dana White On Mayweather vs. McGregor … 'There Is No Deal' https://t.co/DuBFZp5MkJ
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) February 14, 2017
McGregor is contracted to UFC – whose owner Dana White insists a deal is not close, but the two men have been exchanging comments via the media on a regular basis.
“Age waits for no man. He’s 40 years of age. He’s got a little head on him. Honestly, my fist is bigger than his head. I sleep people. I put people unconscious,” McGregor told the newest edition of GQ magazine.
“I’m stating facts. If I hit a man, his head is gonna go into the bleachers. You understand that?
“If I crack that little head of his, it’s gonna go clean off his shoulder and up into the bleachers.”
Mayweather himself has insisted that no deal has yet been done.
— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) February 14, 2017
But he finds it hard not to talk about McGregor at regular intervals.
Before you ask for $25M, be worth more than $25M. You have the "2" and the "5" right but you meant to say $2.5M not $25M. pic.twitter.com/07vaWF0hen
— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) January 19, 2017
Despite the constant toing and froing, most people are expecting the fight to happen this year and the bookmakers are not in any doubt as to which way they feel the fight would go.
WilliamHill are offering 1/25 on Mayweather and a massive 9/1 on the Irishman to beat him.
I am in Las Vegas. Floyd has retired on my arrival. pic.twitter.com/z9EcxBJaDr
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 15, 2017