‘Too much too soon’ – Floyd Mayweather $600m mega-fight named as reason for Conor McGregor downfall
Conor McGregor’s $600m mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather may well have ruined his career in the long-term. McGregor took a break from his primary sport, MMA, in 2017 to fight boxing’s poster boy Mayweather in a monumental crossover bout. McGregor made the most money of his career after fighting MayweatherGetty Images - Getty He was made rich beyond his wildest dreams as the fight generated over $600mGetty The bout came only nine months after McGregor set UFC history by becoming the first fighter in the promotion to hold two of their titles simultaneously. McGregor had knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to win the UFC featherweight title in 2015 before doing the same to Eddie Alvarez in two rounds when they met almost one year later at UFC 205. His subsequent fight with Mayweather was quite rightly billed as ‘The Money Fight’, as it generated more than $600milion to become the second most lucrative bout in the history of combat sports. It was beaten only by Mayweather’s super fight with Manny Pacquiao two years prior, which also generated a similar amount as the former extended his record to 48-0. And two UFC experts believe it might have been the wrong move considering his current plight. “Is there a case for saying all that money he earned against Floyd Mayweather soon afterwards ruined him?” Gareth A Davies asked Ade Oladipo on talkSPORT MMA. “Yeah,” Oladipo responded before Davies added: “Too much money, too much fame.” “Too much too soon, too much too soon. It’s a shame isn’t it?” Oladipo said. “You ask for these things, you dream about them, you beg for them. When they come, you don’t know how to handle them. “He went from earning good money with the UFC to just life-changing money in one night. Mayweather signed off with a $350M payday for fighting a boxing debutantGetty “And the fame it came with, not just the money, the fame of now everyone in the world knowing you because you fought Floyd.” McGregor is arguably the UFC’s biggest star of all time and made headlines again this week after a video emerged of him appearing to spit on a fan, who provoked him with a comment about Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor fought Nurmagomedov on his return fight to MMA after boxing Mayweather and the pair shared one of the most intense rivalries ever seen in the UFC. Before the incident, UFC President Dana White had provided a worrying update on the Irishman. “Conor? I’m not sure when Conor will be back,” he sighed at UFC Saudi Arabia’s post-fight press conference on Saturday. This sparked debate online as to whether McGregor’s career could be over for good as the UFC boss is usually optimistic with the media when speaking about his former star’s return. McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy bout back in July 2021. He was scheduled to return to action last June against Michael Chandler in the main event of UFC 303, but withdrew after injuring his toe while sparring. McGregor may never fight againGetty MMA fans around the world may be optimistic with their views on McGregor making a return one day, but Davies is certainly not. “I don’t think he’ll ever fight again,” he said. “I really don’t.” “It’s the Conor McGregor tour now he’s no longer a fighter. He’s involved with the bare knuckle and promoting that. “He says he’s going to fight Jeremy Stephens, who was always going to be a good bare knuckle fighter. “And I think Conor out of control is a good description, but he’s certainly on the road it looks like all the time enjoying himself, partying and you cant condone that behaviour [the spitting incident]… “He’s 37 in July…four fights in the last seven years.” Conor McGregor's last five fights Just one victory Loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021 via first-round TKO Loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 in January 2021 via second-round KO Win over Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone at UFC 246 in January 2020 via first-round TKO Loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in October 2019 via fourth-round submission Loss to Floyd Mayweather on professional boxing debut in August 2017 via 10th-round TKO During his time out of the fight game, McGregor has been actively promoting his up-and-coming bare knuckle fighting league. He became a minority owner of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in April 2024 and has been spotted at several of their events, including one in Newcastle last November. BKFC hosted their biggest event to date, KnuckleMania V, in January, and McGregor told the promotion’s founder David Feldman to ‘make a date’ for his bare knuckle debut against Jeremy Stephens, who had just beaten former UFC star Alvarez in the main event.
Conor McGregor’s $600m mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather may well have ruined his career in the long-term.
McGregor took a break from his primary sport, MMA, in 2017 to fight boxing’s poster boy Mayweather in a monumental crossover bout.
The bout came only nine months after McGregor set UFC history by becoming the first fighter in the promotion to hold two of their titles simultaneously.
McGregor had knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to win the UFC featherweight title in 2015 before doing the same to Eddie Alvarez in two rounds when they met almost one year later at UFC 205.
His subsequent fight with Mayweather was quite rightly billed as ‘The Money Fight’, as it generated more than $600milion to become the second most lucrative bout in the history of combat sports.
It was beaten only by Mayweather’s super fight with Manny Pacquiao two years prior, which also generated a similar amount as the former extended his record to 48-0.
And two UFC experts believe it might have been the wrong move considering his current plight.
“Is there a case for saying all that money he earned against Floyd Mayweather soon afterwards ruined him?” Gareth A Davies asked Ade Oladipo on talkSPORT MMA.
“Yeah,” Oladipo responded before Davies added: “Too much money, too much fame.”
“Too much too soon, too much too soon. It’s a shame isn’t it?” Oladipo said.
“You ask for these things, you dream about them, you beg for them. When they come, you don’t know how to handle them.
“He went from earning good money with the UFC to just life-changing money in one night.
“And the fame it came with, not just the money, the fame of now everyone in the world knowing you because you fought Floyd.”
McGregor is arguably the UFC’s biggest star of all time and made headlines again this week after a video emerged of him appearing to spit on a fan, who provoked him with a comment about Khabib Nurmagomedov.
McGregor fought Nurmagomedov on his return fight to MMA after boxing Mayweather and the pair shared one of the most intense rivalries ever seen in the UFC.
Before the incident, UFC President Dana White had provided a worrying update on the Irishman.
“Conor? I’m not sure when Conor will be back,” he sighed at UFC Saudi Arabia’s post-fight press conference on Saturday.
This sparked debate online as to whether McGregor’s career could be over for good as the UFC boss is usually optimistic with the media when speaking about his former star’s return.
McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy bout back in July 2021.
He was scheduled to return to action last June against Michael Chandler in the main event of UFC 303, but withdrew after injuring his toe while sparring.
MMA fans around the world may be optimistic with their views on McGregor making a return one day, but Davies is certainly not.
“I don’t think he’ll ever fight again,” he said. “I really don’t.”
“It’s the Conor McGregor tour now he’s no longer a fighter. He’s involved with the bare knuckle and promoting that.
“He says he’s going to fight Jeremy Stephens, who was always going to be a good bare knuckle fighter.
“And I think Conor out of control is a good description, but he’s certainly on the road it looks like all the time enjoying himself, partying and you cant condone that behaviour [the spitting incident]…
“He’s 37 in July…four fights in the last seven years.”
Conor McGregor's last five fights
Just one victory
During his time out of the fight game, McGregor has been actively promoting his up-and-coming bare knuckle fighting league.
He became a minority owner of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in April 2024 and has been spotted at several of their events, including one in Newcastle last November.
BKFC hosted their biggest event to date, KnuckleMania V, in January, and McGregor told the promotion’s founder David Feldman to ‘make a date’ for his bare knuckle debut against Jeremy Stephens, who had just beaten former UFC star Alvarez in the main event.
