During the week, Conor McGregor caused a stir when he was issued with a licence to box professionally in California.
It reignited speculation about a fight with Floyd Mayweather.
Speaking at the Devenish Complex in Belfast last night, McGregor addressed his acquisition of the licence and the whole Mayweather furore.
The Dubliner said that negotiations have been held with Mayweather's team and that the next move is with the currently retired fighter.
Originally Floyd called me out. That's originally what happened. I don't care about Floyd. I don't give a fuck about Floyd. I don't fear no man under no rule set. I'm sitting there minding my own business dominating true fighting and Floyd calls me out or leaks a rumour that we're supposed to fight.
What it did was it opened up my eyes a little bit. I said 'Hold on, maybe I can pursue the boxing side. Maybe there's something there.'
So we went to it. We were in the background with negotiations and we'll see what happens. Now I have my boxing licence. It's their move now. I've presented myself.
Since I got that boxing licence Floyd's fat manager was like 'Oh Floyd's in the Bahamas. He doesn't care about Conor.' Well I don't give a fuck about Floyd either. If you don't want this fight, it's no bother because other than the Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather pay-per-view numbers and gate numbers I hold all the numbers. Other than that one fight, so I don't need Floyd.
McGregor did concede that Mayweather is a superb fighter - that would be a tough one to deny. He also outlined what he sees as the advantages which he would have over Mayweather.
Floyd is a phenomenal. It's a different craft for me to go in and do this. With correct preparation, if I took out my jiu-jitsu training, my wrestling training, my kickboxing training. If I took out all those different disciplines and focussed with the discipline that I have solely on the sport of boxing, there's no telling what I could do. I would not go in there just to show up. I would go in there to knock him out.
He can be hit. He's been hit before. Age waits for no man also. I know that they know that. I know that size is on my side. I know that the reach is on my side. The youth is on my side. There's a lot to lose for them. So that's why they're scrambling.
Intriguingly, McGregor teased the possibility of boxing opponents other than Mayweather.
I've got some other boxing opponents in mind. Some previous Floyd opponents. I can bring in anyone in the game. So we'll see what happens.
Paul Malignaggi, the former IBF light-welterweight and WBA welterweight champion, yesterday spoke about his interest in stepping into the ring with McGregor. The 36-year-old said that he would 'knock the beard off' the Irishman for disrespecting the sport of boxing.
Asked about Malignaggi's words, McGregor's response was akin to when Jeremy Stephens piped up during a UFC 205 press conference.
Who the fuck is that guy? I don't know who the fuck that is. I don't know who the fuck that is but I'll slap him the nose off him if he ever mentions my name again.
McGregor talks about Mayweather in Belfast
Video thanks to Snowden MMA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAlWXeJv02k
