Renowned boxer Terence Crawford recently turned down a lucrative deal to face off against mixed martial arts sensation Conor McGregor, citing his reluctance to engage in an MMA bout. According to Crawford, the proposal, brokered by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, would have seen the two fighters compete in both boxing and MMA, with a potential payday of hundreds of millions.
While McGregor was open to competing in both disciplines, Crawford drew a firm line. “They offered me the fight, but I’m not getting in the Octagon with him so he can kick and elbow me,” Crawford stated in a recent interview. Despite his reservations, Crawford acknowledged McGregor’s respect for his decision, saying, “He was like, ‘I respect that. You respect my sport just like I respect your sport.’”
McGregor, no stranger to crossover fights, famously boxed Floyd Mayweather in 2017, earning a reported $100 million despite losing by 10th-round TKO. The event generated a live gate of $55.5 million and sold 4.3 million pay-per-view buys, both second all-time in boxing history.
Crawford, undefeated and widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, has a background in wrestling but prefers to keep his fights confined to the boxing ring. McGregor, meanwhile, is recovering from a toe injury that delayed his return to the Octagon against Michael Chandler. The Irish fighter’s next opponent remains unknown, while Crawford is targeting a massive showdown with Canelo Alvarez, although no deal has been finalized.
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