UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor is making his professional boxing debut in under two weeks against the great Floyd Mayweather.
The MMA fighter recently took some time away from training to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live. It was at this appearance that he was accused of calling his soon to be opponent Mayweather a dancing monkey, but the fighter claims he never labeled Mayweather in that way.
“I never labeled him (Floyd Mayweather) a monkey or any African American or anyone a monkey,” McGregor said to MMA Fighting. “I would not disrespect any race like that. And his people know that. And you know what? He knows that, too. He knows that deep down, too.”
McGregor would also point out the scene from the famous Rocky films he was referring to in the interview that went awry
Mayweather is without controversy in all of this as well, as he called McGregor a “f*gg*t” during the tour, but Mayweather would later apologize for his comments.
McGregor does say that while Mayweather isn’t a monkey, he would consider his future opponent to be a rat.
“If I was to label him after any animal, it would be the rat,” McGregor said. “I wouldn’t even label him after the great ape. He is a f*cking rat and a weasel, because that’s that a rat and weasel does, tries to manipulate words and create something that’s not there. Ask [Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard] Ellerbe, ask Floyd Sr. They know. It’s a weak move on his part to even try to instigate something. And something so sensitive. But that’s the individual he is. He’s a man that beats his wife in front of his kid. What can I say? All I can say is, I never spoke those things. That’s it.”
Conor McGregor versus Floyd Mayweather takes place on Saturday, August 26 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
