Conor McGregor vows to 'conquer' boxing like the UFC but reveals he has WWE and Hollywood offers too

McGregor has given a revealing interview in which he claims he doesn't need Floyd Mayweather to make a boxing career a success

Jack de Menezes
Tuesday 20 December 2016 13:33 GMT
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Conor McGregor could return to the UFC next year, but has options in boxing, WWE and in films too
Conor McGregor could return to the UFC next year, but has options in boxing, WWE and in films too

Conor McGregor believes he has the talent to “conquer” boxing like he has done the UFC, and has also revealed that he has offers on the table from both the WWE and Hollywood in a bid to tempt him away from the Octagon.

McGregor’s last appearance came at UFC 205 when he demolished Eddie Alvarez to claim the lightweight championship and add to the featherweight title that he already held, becoming the UFC’s first simultaneous two-time champion in the process.

McGregor said after the victory that he will take some time away from the UFC to weigh up his options, but he has already obtained a Californian boxing licence and has been vocal in his desire to face retired unbeaten boxer Floyd Mayweather in what is being billed as a potential ‘superfight’.

But McGregor believes that he doesn’t need Mayweather for people to take interest in his boxing career, which looks to be an inevitability, and said that he “can pick some local schmuck and still do big numbers” if he is to make his debut in the squared circle.

“I can go and conquer the boxing scene as well, that's a very serious thought, a very serious conversation that is happening so we'll see,” McGregor told Irish TV channel RTE.

“I mean we'll see what happens. Of course, I've got the boxing licence, his [Mayweather’s] last pay-per-view was 350,000 buys and it was a flop, the fight was a dud.

“His last two fights have been duds so I certainly don't need him, I can pick some local schmuck and still do big numbers so that is where I'm at.

“Of course the Floyd fight is the fight people want to see, it is the fight we all want to happen but we'll see, these things take time.

“I've got those wrestling guys trying to contact me as well. Hollywood are trying to contact me, I've got so many options.”

Since UFC 205, McGregor has been told to relinquish his featherweight championship, having not defended it in over a year after exploring other fights against Nate Diaz and Alvarez at welterweight and lightweight respectively. McGregor won the title last December by knocking Jose Aldo out at UFC 193 in just 13 seconds, but the Brazilian has since been instated as the new champion at 145-pounds with Max Holloway beating Anthony Pettis at UFC 206 to become interim featherweight champion.

However, the Irishman has been vocal of his belief that he remains the featherweight world champion to the point that he still holds the belt, and he reiterated that everyone knows who the true featherweight champion is.

“UFC lightweight and UFC featherweight champion, let’s get it right,” McGregor said. “I’m the champion.

McGregor is weighing up his options ahead of his next move 

“I’m still the two-weight world champion, make no mistake about that. They can say what they want, they can try and get phony belts and hand them out to people that I’ve already destroyed. The current world champion is a guy I KO’d in 13 seconds and the current interim champion is a guy I destroyed as well.

“Officially, I don’t care what nobody says, I’m the two-weight world champion and that’s that.”

McGregor has been granted a Californian boxing licence (Getty)

McGregor also revealed that he plans to meet with UFC president Dana White to discuss an early return to the UFC. The Irishman announced after his victory over Alvarez that he would take a break from the sport as he and girlfriend, Dee Devlin, are expecting their first child together. However, he admitted that he got the date of the baby’s expected arrival wrong by two months, and that could allow him to fight before having their child.

“As far as a break I don't know, I know Dana (White) has gone on record and said '10 months,'” said McGregor.

“Originally I thought the baby is being born in March but it is May so maybe I could get another one (fight) in but I'm weighing up my options.

“Again I expect that conversation, I expect them (UFC) to fly that jet to me.”

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