Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight contender Conor McGregor believes he has what it takes to defeat boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. if ever they will collide in a boxing match.
Mayweather recently scored a unanimous decision victory against Manny Pacquiao in their record-setting showdown in May in Las Vegas, which improved his record to 48-0 with 26 knockouts.
The reigning pound-for-pound king is planning to retire after one more fight in September and is considering several opponents for his next bout. But for McGregor, there is no more real competition for Mayweather after winning against Pacquiao aside from facing a different type of athlete like him.
"There's no real boxing fights left in the boxing world for Floyd. After the Manny fight happened, there's no more real bulls," McGregor said on Conan O'Brien's talk show via BoxingScene. "If you're looking for a fight that's gonna generate interest, it must be across, a match-up of different styles."
And if he gets the chance to face Mayweather in a boxing match, McGregor is confident he will emerge victorious and it will be in a dominating fashion.
"I don't feel boxing is the style of fighting that can beat Floyd. But saying that, there are many, many forms of fighting that can beat him. So, if we were to get it on, I would certainly dismantle him, as well," McGregor said.
The 26-year-old Ireland native is well aware that mixed martial arts is different than boxing. When asked why he is calling out Mayweather for a fight, McGregor took a swipe at Mayweather, saying that anyone will be willing to "dance" with the unbeaten world champion for a huge paycheck.
"Who would not like to dance around the ring for $180 million? It is something that would appeal to me very much," McGregor said. "But if we were to fight, I certainly know he would not like to step into my world, the world of pure unarmed combat where there are no limitations. But I most certainly would step into his world."
McGregor, who holds a 17-2 record inside the Octagon, is set to face Chad Mendes at UFC 189 on July 11 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. He was supposed to face Jose Aldo in a highly-touted matchup, but the reigning UFC featherweight champion decided to pull out of the fight because of a rib injury.
