McGregor open to more boxing, White not so much

When Conor McGregor got done boxing Floyd Mayweather, despite losing, he appeared to have had a pretty good time. Not as good as winning, but he made around $100 million. Post fight he indicated he would be happy to box again.

“I just enjoyed the whole experience,” said McGregor, as transcribed by Bryan Armen Graham for The Guardian. “I have many options in mixed martial arts. I’m sure there’s options that will present themselves in the boxing game. But right now I’m a free agent. My name is on the ring.

I have many options in MMA. I love a good fight and this was a damn good fight. I enjoyed myself and long may it continue. I cannot tell you what is next, but something will be next.

McGregor was asked to assess the difference between boxing and MMA.

The check is all right, he said, laughing. The check’s not bad. But I’ve already been raising the MMA checks, so don’t get it twisted. I’m gonna raise the MMA checks when I go back there.

I don’t know what the difference is but it’s different. It’s very different. It’s just a little more cleaner or something. But I enjoyed it very very much, it was an honor for me to come over on to the boxing side and showcase my skills.”

I am certainly open to all options. I am young, I’m fresh and I am ready.

Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe sees a future in boxing for McGregor if he wants it.

I was actually very surprised with his ability to do certain things, said Ellerbe post fight,as transcribed by Fernanda Prates and John Morgan for MMAjunkie. If he chooses to, he definitely has a future in boxing – if he chooses to. To be able to last as long as he did, he’s a very tough competitor. He has a big heart and, again, he’s showed a lot.

Especially with this being his professional debut. He did the UFC proud, he did his country proud, and he should definitely keep his head up high.

UFC president Dana White was congratulatory and is ready for the young, fresh fighter to return to the Octagon.

“I’m so proud of Conor tonight,” said White, as transcribed by Ryan Harkness for MMA Mania. “It’s not the fight I thought it would be, it was a completely different fight than I expected. When you get into professional boxing, and you guys know, you start fighting four rounds, you fight six rounds. He went ten rounds tonight with arguably the greatest to ever do it.”

“I’m sure you guys probably already saw this, but if you didn’t, the CompuBox numbers were in nine of Floyd Mayweather’s fights where it went twelve rounds, his opponents hit him with less than 100 punches. Conor hit him with 111 in less than 10 rounds. So it was a great fight. I’m really proud of Conor.”

White was asked if McGregor will box again.

“I would rather he did not,” replied the UFC boss. “This isn’t what he does. He’s a mixed martial artist where he goes in and he fights and he uses all of his weapons. And tonight he was only allowed to use his hands. I think he did great tonight, I don’t think there’s anything else left to prove. I’d rather he fight in mixed martial arts. I’m ready to get back to UFC and do what I do.”

Other UFC fighters are eager to follow McGregor’s lead and try their fists at prize fighting, including Stipe Miocic vs. Anthony Joshua.

“I don’t even want to talk about my other guys in a boxing match,” he said. “This was one of those … two big superstars. This was built from the bottom up from the fans to the media and then up to us when we even started remotely considering something like this. It was just a real special event, and a rare event. I’m not looking to do this again.”

“It takes two very special people and the right place and the right time to do the freakish kinds of numbers and the watercooler talk and all the things that this fight had. You have to have the right people in the right place in the right time. This s*** doesn’t happen all the time.”

White was asked if it would be hard to get McGregor back into the Octagon.

“If our fights do what the buys did here tonight and the gate, we’ll all be good,” he said. “Nobody will be bitching about anything.”

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White will be pleased that Ellerbee isn’t looking to do another cross promotional event either.

We’re not looking to fight any other UFC fighters, he said. It was a great promotion. I really enjoyed working with Dana and his team. Very professional group. They’ve had a tremendous amount of success and I truly understand why. He’s got a great team. And they have a great, well-oiled machine. And it was, again, a great joy to be able to work with them at this promotion.