Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov rejected a $127 million offer to fight undefeated Floyd Mayweather according to the star's agent Ali Abdelaziz.
After Nurmagomedov beat Conor McGregor in October 2018, the recently retired star engaged in a back and forth with Mayweather about a cross-over fight and revealed in March that he'd been offered a lucrative deal to fight the boxing legend in a boxing bout.
According to Abdelaziz, Khabib is still in demand after hanging up the gloves following his win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. The agent said the UFC got in touch with another proposal.
"Two weeks ago, (or) 10 days ago, Dana White called me," Abdelaziz said during an appearance on the Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson podcast.
"He said, 'Georges St-Pierre, he said he'll fight Khabib in a non-title fight at 165 pounds.'
"In a way, we've been waiting for Georges. I like Georges. He's my friend. I like Georges.
"We've been waiting for Georges for four or five years. 'I'm coming. I'm not coming.'
"Now, [he] said, 'Hey, Khabib is retired. I'm retired. What about coming back and fighting Khabib now?'
"But you know, Khabib got offered $100 million after he was retired to fight Floyd Mayweather.
"$US100 million. $US100 million. You can ask Floyd. You can ask everybody.
"Khabib said, "No, I'm retired. I told my mother I'm retired. I'm going to keep my word to my mother. If my mother told me to fight again, maybe I will. But right now, she told me not to fight."
Nurmagomedov walked away from the sport following the death of his father and coach Abdulmanap, who passed away last July following complications stemming from COVID-19.
His mother urged him not fight anymore without having his father in his corner. He was almost tempted back into the octagon by UFC president Dana White although he stayed true to his word.
"Dana called this official, but I retired like four, six months ago," Nurmagomedov told ESPN in March.
"It's very funny. Dana told me when he posted that someone commented saying, 'Hey, he retired not today, he retired about five months ago,' and I was like it's funny.
"We had some conversations with Dana a couple of times and like two days ago we meet with him to talk like two real men.
"We had a very good conversation with them, good dinner, and I really appreciated him not only for me, but all the sport."
He added: "It's very hard when you have power, when you're the best in the world, when you're famous, have money and say to everything like this, 'No.'
"It's very hard. People maybe will never understand me, but I really hope they're going to support my decision because everyone has their views.
"My view and my relationship with my mother, I feel like I have to stop because I feel like in every fight, every training camp, this takes some age away from my mother.
"And it's like what do I have to do? I came to this sport to show who I am and became the best, I'm world champion, and pound-for-pound No. 1. I defended my title three times.
" I defended my title in biggest fight of UFC history. What else? Only money-fights, but I don't need money."
from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/news/khabib-nurmagomedov-turns-down-127-million-to-fight-floyd-mayweather/64dff194-94c3-4283-95a0-af0e3c570299
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