Floyd Mayweather Backtracks On Potential MMA Fight

It looks like Floyd Mayweather doesn’t sound too enthusiastic about potentially fighting in mixed martial arts (MMA) anymore.

The chatter started up during the build-up to Conor McGregor and Mayweather’s boxing bout last year. Mayweather said he’d like to fight inside the Octagon next. However, that has yet to come even close to materializing. Now, Mayweather will be competing in a bout against undefeated kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa at RIZIN 14.

The show will go down on December 31, 2018, under boxing rules. Regardless of the outcome, the fight will not count on either man’s record. Speaking to media recently to promote the contest, Mayweather was asked about any possible MMA aspirations. When asked about fighting in MMA under special rules, Mayweather said any fight he participates in will have to be under boxing rules (via MMA Junkie):

“Everything is always on my times. I’m the A-side always. I’m not going to fight in an MMA ring. If I do fight in a MMA ring, boxing only. Everything is my rules, it’s my way.

“I worked hard to put myself in the position that I call all the shots, simple and plain. He may be a kickboxer, but he got to abide by my rules, simple and plain. And if he raises his feet, it’s in the contract, I get some more money.”

When further pressed on fighting purely MMA, Mayweather said he’s not a “degenerate”:

“I’m not a (expletive) degenerate. I’m not going into nobody else’s cage and do what they do. I would’ve did that from the beginning. I’m a boxer. Floyd Mayweather is a boxer.

“And if anybody wants to compete against me or fight against me, it’s in the cage. Simple and plain.”