For more than a year, the soap opera of Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Floyd Mayweather has raged on in the mixed martial arts and boxing worlds. After going back and forth over the potential of a fight between the camps, it looks like a possible mega-money bout could be on the cards. Before anything can be set in stone, Khabib will battle Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Fight fans can use the 10CRIC mobile app to get a bet bonus to wager on the fighter they believe will win the main event at UFC 249.
Mayweather has been lobbying for a boxing match with Khabib since the latter defeated Conor McGregor in October 2018. Thus far, there has only been speculation over when and if a fight will take place. However, fight fans maybe one step closer to seeing the two combatants touch gloves.
The fight of the century II
Khabib and Mayweather was rumored as a possible fight this year. Two months into 2020, it seems unlikely that the fighters will meet in the boxing ring due to a lack of time to fully promote what would be considered a major cross-over bout. UFC 249 will see Khabib meet one of his strongest challengers in the octagon. Ferguson is 25-3 in mix martial arts and considered one of the best light heavyweights in UFC history.
A loss to Ferguson in April’s UFC event and Khabib’s appeal to mainstream fight fans could see the big-money bout with Mayweather evaporate. Even then, it is arguable that combat sports fans will be interested to see Mayweather box another MMA fighter. Once was unique, but twice loses the glamor of the first encounter with McGregor. In addition, Khabib doesn’t have the cross-over pop culture appeal that McGregor did in 2017.
Standing in the way of a possible boxing match is the likely return UFC Lightweight Championship bout between Khabib and McGregor. UFC president Dana White is ready to make the fight between the rivals, but White needs Khabib to defeat Ferguson in April for the match to have the big-fight appeal the UFC wants.
The stipulation for Mayweather/Khabib
If there is to be a fight between Mayweather and Khabib, it could have an interesting stipulation. During an interview with TASS, Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, spoke about the possibility of the fight with Mayweather and a stipulation for the event.
According to Abdulmanap, his son wants to take on Mayweather in a 12-round bout with 11 rounds consisting of boxing rules. The 12th round would be under MMA rules allowing Khabib to grapple and takedown Mayweather.
It is a stipulation that is likely to be vetoed by Mayweather. The boxer may be fully confident in his own fight discipline but will want no part of being exposed to MMA style fighting. Not only would Mayweather likely veto the stipulation but the sports commission that would oversee the fight, if it is in the United States, wouldn’t allow it.
If the stipulations couldn’t get any more ridiculous, Mayweather’s uncle, Jeff, recently spoke about his nephew fighting both Khabib and McGregor in the same day. Whether Mayweather’s camp is simply
