Dana White: Mayweather-McGregor will happen, there’s too much money

UFC president Dana White has finally expressed his optimism that the much talked about fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor will actually happen. Mayweather recently called for the fight to happen this summer while on tour in Europe, saying he would be coming out of retirement just for McGregor.

White, who has McGregor under an exclusive promotional contract, is now admitting that there’s just too much money at stake for the fight not to happen as he appeared on Conan O’Brien’s show last night.

"I do think it's going to happen," White told Conan O'Brien. "I think it's going to be a tough deal, because, obviously, there are a lot of egos involved in this deal and a lot of people, so that always makes it tougher.

"On the flip side, there's so much money involved, I just don't see how it doesn't happen."

McGregor is also in the midst of finally dealing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission in an apparent attempt to allow him to apply for a boxing license within the state -— Mayweather’s preferred fight location.

Should this thing finally come together, White is of the belief that the style match-up will make for an interesting fight — or at least that’s what he’s supposed to tell you in his promoter’s role...

"A lot of things make this fight intriguing," White said. "Conor McGregor is huge. He's in the prime of his career. Floyd is 40. Floyd has always had problems with southpaws; Conor is a southpaw, and Conor hits hard. When he hits people, they go. Floyd is definitely not knocking him out. That's for sure.

"I'm not saying Conor would win this boxing match, but it sure makes it interesting."

Some myths just die hard, don’t they? The narrative about Mayweather struggling with southpaws has been as pervasive as the seasonal flu, despite there being little-to-no evidence to actually support the claim. But hey, if that makes you even a little more inclined to drop $70, expecting a competitive match, then so be it.

What does seem clear, at this point, is that the fight is inching closer and closer, and it appears that it’ll just be a matter of weeks before it’s formally announced. Bet your money on the southpaw ;-).