Conor McGregor doesn’t appear to be interested in a fight with Jake Paul.
Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, has relentlessly called out McGregor since he turned his attention to a combat sports career more than two years ago. Paul has confidently claimed he will eventually meet the former two-division UFC champ in a competitive setting, and when it happened thinks he would emerge victorious.
On Monday, Paul told “The MMA Hour” he still wants the fight, mainly because it would secure big money for both men.
“At some point it’s gotta happen,” Paul said. “He’s a businessman, I’m a businessman, and that’s $75 to $100 million dollars for both of us.”
McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who hasn’t competed since suffering a broken leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, has largely ignored Paul’s verbal attacks over the years, only infrequently chiming in.
He offered more of the same when he saw Paul’s comments, except this time he took a firm shot at Paul’s drawing power to command such a hefty payday (via Twitter):
you’ve 2 fights and done 70k buys.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 11, 2022
you’ve 2 fights and done 70k buys.
You are a flop, kid. A nobody.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 11, 2022
You are a flop, kid. A nobody.
Paul, who holds boxing victories over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley and former Bellator titleholder Ben Askren, will return to the ring on Aug. 6 when he meets Hasim Rahman Jr. at Madison Square Garden in New York. He said he intends to turn his attention back to facing MMA fighters after facing a “real boxer,” including a long-discussed bout with Nate Diaz.