Terence Crawford is denying Conor McGregor’s recent claims that they were once offered a $200 million mega-deal to compete against each other in MMA and boxing.
In a recent appearance on Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show,” McGregor claimed the two-fight offer was made to him and Crawford by Saudi Arabian fight financier Turki Alalshikh in 2024. McGregor claimed Crawford ultimately declined the offer, citing the MMA aspect of it. Speaking Wednesday on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Crawford admitted there was a conversation between the three, but said no such offer was made to him.
If there had been, Crawford said, he would have accepted.
“That was a lie. It was cap. There was never a $200 million offer,” Crawford told Uncrowned. “They asked me what I’d do, and I told them, ‘You ain’t about to be kicking on me, Conor.’ We were on FaceTime and I did tell him that. But they didn’t say, ‘Hey, you got $200 million. You fight him in boxing and MMA.’ That was never the case.
“If it was said to me, I could say there was an offer, but if nothing is privy to me, I can’t say what is what. He’s making up numbers, in my head. I would have done it [had there been a real offer]. Why wouldn’t I? I don’t need to do it [now]. Back then, it would have been a good deal. Right now, where I’m sitting, I don’t need to do it. That’s the thing.
“I’m in a different space in my life right now, where I don’t have to take those fights,” Crawford continued. “Back then, I probably would have taken it. Conor’s not the best wrestler. I’m not saying I’m the best wrestler either, but I know standing up it’s only going to take one good shot and I’m going to put him to sleep. He’s going to try to kick me, and takedowns, we’re just going to do what we do.”
Crawford, 38, went out on top of the game, retiring as a pound-for-pound great following his big win over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on Netflix in September. After the win, Crawford sailed off into the sunset with an unblemished record in 42 boxing matches since 2008.
Meanwhile, the former two-division UFC champion McGregor has been absent from competition since he suffered a gruesome leg break at UFC 264 in July 2021. He returns to rematch Max Holloway at UFC 329 next Saturday, July 11, in Las Vegas.
In addition to Crawford’s incredible acumen as a boxer, he owns a notable wrestling background, which always made the thought of him crossing over into MMA intriguing. However, Crawford said the idea was never truly considered at any point in his decorated combat sports career.
“I have friends that were in MMA, friends that made it to the UFC, and you get $20,000 to show up and $20,000 to win,” Crawford said. “So you walk out with $40,000, and back then, they were getting $100,000 in sponsorships all together. [The UFC] took that away, so now it’s like, I get $40,000 if I win a tough fight. OK, so while you’re getting $40,000, I’m getting 10 times that [in boxing].
“I just always felt like the amount of trauma that [MMA fighters] gotta take their body through and gotta endure, for the least amount of money, it’s not smart. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
It’s been a comfortable life in retirement for Crawford thus far, as he’s enjoyed the spoils of his success and remained present around the fight game. That doesn’t mean he’s gotten the itch to return. With no serious offers made to make a comeback, Crawford is holding to his departure from in-ring action.
“I’m happily retired, and I don’t see myself coming back. Done, done,” Crawford said.
“I’ve been approached on a couple of occasions about a couple of fights, things like that, but it just wasn’t a serious conversation. Just talk.”
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