Conor McGregor Signs Deal For Fight Vs. Floyd Mayweather; Dana White Says He’s Waiting For Boxer To Agree

Conor McGregor took one step closer to securing his boxing match against Floyd Mayweather on Wednesday by signing a contract to fight the retired legend.

Conor McGregor signs deal for Bout vs Floyd Mayweather

“The first, and most important part of this historic contract has now officially been signed off on,” McGregor said in a statement to Themaclife.com. “Congratulations to all parties involved. We now await [Mayweather’s adviser] Al Haymon and his boxer’s signature in the coming days.”

The 28-year-old Irish UFC star also said: “It is an honor to sign this record-breaking deal alongside my partners Zuffa LLC, The Ultimate Fighting Championship and Paradigm Sports Management.”

McGregor did not disclose the terms of the contract, though early on Tuesday he tweeted a photo of himself and his baby boy sitting on a couch next to his championship belt.

The Irishman’s signing of the deal was confirmed just hours after UFC president Dana White told TNT’s NBA crew that McGregor had agreed to the long-awaited fight, and that they were now simply waiting fro Mayweather’s side to sign the agreement.

“The McGregor side is done,” White said Wednesday night while appearing as a guest on the network’s post-game wrap-up of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, in which the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Boston Celtics 117-104 at TD Garden. “I’m starting to work on the Mayweather side now.”

The UFC president continued, clarifying that the bout was not yet a certainty: “I’m not saying the fight will happen, but I’ve got one side done,” White said. “Now it’s time to work on the other. If we can come to a deal with Haymon and Mayweather, the fight’s gonna happen.”

White added the highly-anticipated bout would only be a boxing match, and not include any sort of mixed martial arts fighting.

Mayweather stated on Wednesday that he was awaiting details from McGregor and White.

“I’m not here to throw anybody under the bus, [and] I can’t sit here and say that they are waiting on us,” the undefeated boxer said in London. “I’m not saying that. And we’re not waiting on them.

“I have a team for [negotiating], but as soon as their side [UFC] communicates with our side, then the fight will happen.”

Since McGregor is under contract with the UFC, he cannot agree to a deal with Mayweather independently.

The Irishman is 21-3 in mixed martial arts and remains the only fighter in UFC history to own two belts simultaneously, an accomplishment he reached by defeating lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez at Madison Square Garden in November.

White also said McGregor wishes to fight twice this year.

“He wants to fight twice this year and one of those fights to be Floyd, if possible,” White told ESPN.

Mayweather, meanwhile, retired from boxing in September 2015 after finishing with an impressive 49-0 record. The 40-year-old has beaten nearly every fighter near his weight class: Manny Pacquiao; Saúl Álvarez, (aka Canelo); Miguel Cotto; Juan Manuel Marquez; Oscar De La Hoya, and dozens more.

The legend said McGregor is the only one he is interested in right now, primarily because it makes the most financial sense.

“There’s only one fight that makes business sense,” Mayweather said. “I came out of retirement because I’m a businessman and I want to give the world what they want to see.

“McGregor’s a fighter. I’m a fighter. This is what the fight fans and MMA fans want to see.”

LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 12: Conor McGregor celebrates after a first-round knockout victory over Jose Aldo in their featherweight title fight during UFC 194 on December 12, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena