Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor News 2017: Mayweather Says McGregor isn't a 'Shot Caller'
Well, negotiations are going nowhere right now. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor can talk trash all they want to drum up interest, but the prospective boxing match is still not getting any closer to happening. So, what's holding up the bout?
In an interview with the Telegraph, Mayweather said the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) involvement has ground negotiations to a halt because McGregor would have to wait for his employer's approval before he could agree to a fight.
"Conor's not a shot caller," Mayweather said during the interview. "There's a difference between being an employee and an employer. If someone says 'I want to fight Floyd Mayweather', I can simply say 'yes, let's make it happen.' But when you've got a guy like Conor McGregor he has to talk to Dana White (the UFC president). Dana has to talk to Dana's bosses," he continued.
McGregor actually considered doing the fight without the UFC, but White has warned him that it would not end well. "I've always shown Conor nothing but respect, and if he wants to go down that road with us, let me tell you, it will be an epic fall," White told MMAjunkie in January.
McGregor wants the big money fight with Mayweather, but he can't do it without the UFC's consent. He is still under contract with the UFC, so breaking away from them isn't exactly the smartest thing to do. He can't simply fight elsewhere without risking a lawsuit.
On the other hand, Mayweather self-promotes his own fights, so he can do anything he wants. If he thinks the figures in the deal are good enough for him, he can go ahead and accept the terms.
Mayweather is waiting and raring to go right now, but McGregor will have to clear a lot of hurdles before they can put a fight together.