Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather finally confirm $1billion superfight in Las Vegas on August 26… a year after SunSport exclusively told you it would happen
Two giants of the fighting world will go head-to-head in the boxing ring to settle bitter rivalry
FLOYD MAYWEATHER'S $1billion scrap with Conor McGregor has been officially confirmed.
The two giants of the fighting world will finally collide in a Las Vegas showdown on August 26, as The Sun exclusively revealed in May 2016.
Irishman McGregor, 28, announced the fight on Twitter by simply saying “The fight is on” and accompanying it with a cheeky dig at his rival — a pic of Mayweather’s DAD.
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And five-weight former world champ Mayweather responded moments later to confirm the most-hyped fight ever with a video showing a boxing ring, the pair’s faces and the fight date emblazoned across it.
On TV, UFC president Dana White then revealed the bout between undefeated Mayweather and MMA superstar McGregor would take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Vegas and be at light-middleweight.
White said: “The impossible deal is now done. We’ve been in negotiations for a while.
“It’ll be in a ring, it’s a boxing event.
“Conor McGregor is a guy who’s done a lot of good things for the sport and this company and he wanted this and the fans too.
Worth the wait? Timeline of the superfight
July 2015 - McGregor tells American TV host Conan O'Brien he would enjoy a fight with Mayweather stating: "Who would not like to dance around the ring for $180million?"
January 2016- Mayweather claims McGregor was treated better because he’s white with the Irishman replying: "Don't ever bring race into my success again. I am an Irishman. My people have been oppressed our entire existence."
May - The Sun exclusively reveals that the duo are in talks over a showdown.
July -McGregor claims he would have matched Mayweather's career had he not chosen MMA
November - Irish superstar is granted a boxing licence in California
December - Mayweather Promotions supremo Leonard Ellerbe taunts McGregor - claiming he would get "his a** beat from pillar to post."
January 2017 - The pair engage in a social media spat over their respective purses
February - Mayweather insisted there was no agreement between him and McGregor while Notorious was in Las Vegas
March - Money called his rival a "little punk" before confirming he was coming out of retirement, UFC boss Dana White for the first time appeared to suggest a fight could happen
May - McGregor claims he has signed his contract and applied for a Nevada boxing licence
June 14, 2017 - The pair officially announce their August 26 meeting after years of talk
“Conor is 100 per cent positive he wins this fight and I stopped doubting him a long time ago.
“Floyd Mayweather is 40 years old, he’s always had problems with southpaws.
“Conor is 28 and southpaw. When Conor hits people, they fall.
“The reason Conor’s as big as he is is he’ll fight anybody, anywhere, anytime. He will go after Floyd Mayweather and he will try to knock him out.”
Top five richest fights of all time
1. Mayweather v Pacquiao (2015) £325m
2. Mayweather v Alvarez (2013) £120m
3. Mayweather v De La Hoya (2007) £107m
4. Tyson v Lewis (2002) £88m
5. Tyson v Holyfield (1997) £78m
The duo have been engaged in a year-long slanging match that has left fans salivating at the prospect of a cross-code showdown.
The pay-per-view bout will be broadcast on Showtime and could gross a staggering $1bn — £784million.
In his first UFC fight four years ago, Irishman McGregor pocketed just £8,000.
Mayweather, who will come out of retirement to take on McGregor, is undefeated in his 49 bouts.
Irishman McGregor is the only UFC fighter to hold a world title in two different weight divisions.
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Mayweather has not fought since 2015 when he defeated Andre Berto, while McGregor's last fight came in November 2016 when he knocked out Eddie Alvarez.
The UFC lightweight champion will be competing in his first professional boxing match when he steps into the ring against Money.
But the 28-year-old does have experience Sweet Science having been All-Ireland boxing champion at youth level.
McGregor is being trained by notorious Dublin-based coach John Kavanagh as he attempts to inflict Mayweather's first ever defeat.
Money retired two years ago after matching boxing legend Rocky Marciano's all-time record.
After beating the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Marcos Maidana, Saul Alvarez and Ricky Hatton, Mayweather has been blasted for fighting an amateur as he goes for his 50th win.
The fight has already come under stinging criticism from Oscar De La Hoya - beaten by Mayweather in 2007 - who claims it will harm the sport.
Blasting the "circus" he said: "As undercard fights start to take form, athletic commissions give their blessings in exchange for millions of dollars, and the fighters start counting even more cash, one group will eventually be left to make sure this farce doesn’t occur – we, the fans, who are the lifeblood of our sport ... Our sport might not ever recover.”
McGregor was stripped of his featherweight title in November as he dedicated his attention to pursuing the Mayweather payday.
Later in the same month he obtained a professional boxing licence from the California State Athletic Commission.