Floyd Mayweather (right) says he almost came out of retirement to fight Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)featherweight champion Conor McGregor
Retired boxer Floyd Mayweather has ruled out a bout with mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor.
The American five-weight world champion, 39, said earlier this year he would want $100m (£69.3m) to fight the 28-year-old Irish UFC star.
“I tried to make the fight happen but we [weren’t] able to, so we must move on.” Mayweather told FightHype.com.
“I feel honoured to be the biggest name in MMA and in boxing, and I don’t even compete no more.”
McGregor had previously said he was interested the contest, as long as Mayweather – who retired from boxing in September 2015 – could come up with the “appropriate funds” for the crossover fight.
“He is running around the Showtime offices, begging those executives to come up with the $100m cash he needs to fight me,” the Irishman said last month. “As soon as he gets my money, we can fight.”
McGregor is under contract with the UFC, and any potential fight against Mayweather would have had to involve a co-promotion or the UFC’s blessing.