Showtime GM & Vice President Stephen Espinoza was at the side of Floyd Mayweather throughout the build to The Money Fight against UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor.
Mayweather has been teasing an MMA appearance in the future and Espinoza believes the retired boxer will compete in MMA before stepping into the boxing ring again, if at all.
“I would say probably better odds on the Octagon because we know Floyd loves a challenge and he loves doing the unexpected,” Espinoza said to Steven Muehlhausen of the Sporting News. “After 22 years in the boxing business, he’s really proven virtually all he has to prove. This MMA thing is a whole new challenge. I think that’s the kind of thing that gets him out of bed every day, that gets his juices flowing. Can he do another mega-event? Can he prove everyone wrong, yet again by switching to an entirely different sport? He always looks for a challenge. He always looks to up the ante. What bigger challenge is it than taking up a new sport at the age of 41?”
The retired boxer is allegedly being trained for a potential MMA debut by UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley.
Espinoza also believes that Mayweather will have an MMA fight because of how much the boxer has been pursuing a crossover into the sport.
”He’s certainly not letting go of this thing. It’s going to be an interesting situation to follow. If he’s serious — and it certainly sounds like it is — then we should all start looking at our calendars and reserving some hotel rooms in Vegas,” says Espinoza.
It was also recently revealed by Mayweather that there is a 50% chance that he competes in an MMA fight by the end of the year.
