FLOYD MAYWEATHER has, almost, welcomed the thought of coming of retirement to box Conor McGregor, the star name from mixed martial arts. In London last week Mayweather spoke candidly about taking on the Irishman and suggested he even was ready to fight him this year.

Floyd Mayweather vs Miguel Cotto

The bout, pitting a famous fighter from another sport against this generation’s finest boxer, is a strange one (to say the least) and while it is drawing closer, and it is possible, it is not imminent yet. “Not quite yet,” Stephen Espinoza, the general manager of Showtime Sports which screened Mayweather’s final fights, tells Boxing News.

But Mayweather-McGregor is of interest to Showtime and they would broadcast it.

“It is. It’s a massive, massive event. To say that, it would generate worldwide interest, not just limited to sports but cultural interest is no exaggeration. If it does happen we do expect to be involved,” Espinoza explained.

“UFC reaching a deal with Conor to allow him to participate was a big step. But there’s still a lot of work to do. Now the real negotiations start and that’s between the Floyd side and the UFC/Conor side.”