Conor McGregor went on The Ariel Helwani Show and told the world that Terence Crawford walked away from a $200 million two-fight deal because he did not want to be kicked in an MMA bout. The Irishman said:
“I got on the phone, ‘What’s the craic, Terence? It’s the Mac Daddy. I got [Turki] here. We’ve got a big deal for you. It’s hundreds of millions, $200 million to be exact. Mixed martial arts against me and a boxing one against you. He said, ‘I don’t want to be kicked by you. No way.’ Whatever, that’s fine.”
Crawford has now responded, and his version of events is completely different, calling Conor McGregor out directly and leaving very little room for interpretation.
Terence Crawford Says the Offer Never Existed
Conor McGregor’s account of Terence Crawford rejecting a massive crossover deal has been flatly denied. Crawford said to Ariel Helwani:
“It was cap. There was never a $200 million offer.”
That is a direct contradiction of everything McGregor claimed publicly, and it puts one of them in a very uncomfortable position. Crawford did acknowledge that earlier in his career such a deal would have made sense, adding:
“Back then, it would have been a good deal.”
The implication being that McGregor’s window for this kind of negotiation has already passed.
Terence Crawford Says He Does Not Need Conor McGregor Anymore
The more pointed part of Terence Crawford’s response was not the denial but the dismissal that followed it. He said:
“Right now, where I’m sitting, I don’t need to do it.”
Crawford is being honoured as the Boxing Writers Association of America’s Fighter of the Year and his legacy in the sport is already sealed. ‘The Notorious,’ meanwhile, is preparing for a comeback fight after five years away from competition. The power dynamic Crawford is describing is real regardless of which version of the deal story you believe.
The Knockout Threat Crawford Left on the Table for Conor McGregor
Terence Crawford did not stop at calling Conor McGregor a liar. He addressed the striking matchup directly.
“Conor’s not the best wrestler. I’m not saying I’m the best wrestler either, but I know standing up it’s only gonna take one good shot, and I’m gonna put him to sleep.”
Currently, ‘The Notorious’ is gearing up for his long-awaited return against Max Holloway at UFC 329, seemingly putting all outside distractions aside to focus on his comeback. After the Holloway fight, McGregor will have just one bout remaining on his current UFC contract.
Once that deal expires, he could choose to re-sign with the promotion, compete in BKFC, where he is a part-owner, or even make another move into professional boxing, having previously shared the ring with the legendary Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
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