Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza has revealed when a possible boxing match between Floyd “Money” Mayweather and UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor could take place.
In a recent interview, Espinoza said if the fight were to happen, Mayweather would want it to take place in the fall.
“I think the date really is a function of how long it takes to get a deal done, because the reality is, it took a long time for the UFC and Conor to reach an agreement to allow Conor to participate,” Espinoza said. “Now the real negotiations start which is the Floyd side against the Conor-UFC side.
“If that drags on then you’re probably looking at late this year. If it really drags on, you’re looking at early next year. If people are as motivated as they seem to be — I know how badly Floyd wants it — if we get this wrapped up pretty quickly, we could be seeing it early fall. I think that’s the goal. That’s what we’ve heard from Floyd. Now it’s sort of just getting in a room and seeing if people will be reasonable on the kind of deal that they’re looking for.”
Mayweather has a deal with Showtime to air his fights. Even if McGregor and Mayweather agree to compete, Showtime and the UFC will also need to make a deal for airing the fight.
This would not be the first time the UFC and Showtime have worked together. The Strikeforce promotion, which was later purchased by the UFC, aired on Showtime.
