UFC: Mike Tyson says Conor McGregor is the ultimate boxing crossover star

UFC star Conor McGregor. Photo / Photosport

UFC legend Conor McGregor has vowed to beat undefeated boxing champion Floyd Mayweather after former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson called him the most marketable star to cross over from UFC to boxing.

The 53-year-old "baddest man on the planet" has been all over the media recently with reports target="_blank">he could step back into the ring and plenty of speculation around fights with Evander Holyfield and even footy stars, although he lashed the latter as an "insult".

Video of the legend in training has circulated with the now 15-year retired Tyson looking terrifying.

But speaking to UFC's No. 2 ranked heavyweight Francis Ngannou on his podcast Hotboxin', Tyson's attention turned to potential crossover champions.

The Cameroonian UFC striker's manager Markelle Martin said his charge had some big plans for his future, with hopes for a move into boxing as well as movie roles after filming a role in Fast and Furious 9.

Wrapped up for the Fast and Furious 9. What a wonderful experience with all those amazing people. I had a lot of fun out here with you guys thank you for everything @justinlin #annasawai @JordanaBrewster ...#ff9 #may2020 #FrancisNgannou pic.twitter.com/84ICvrGbPJ

— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) September 26, 2019

Ngannou also floated the opportunity to go into boxing and become the first UFC and boxing world champion.

Tyson told Ngannou to stay where he was, with boxing potentially coming to him, as speculation about UFC getting a boxing licence continues to bubble along.

"Stay in your seat and the boxing is coming to you," Tyson said.

With Dana White's boxing background, Tyson said despite UFC being "the fastest-rising sport in the world, but their champions don't get paid more than the heavyweight champion".

Asked who was the most marketable crossover star, Tyson didn't hesitate to say Conor McGregor.

McGregor famously fought the undefeated Floyd Mayweather on August 26, 2017, with the boxing champ going 50-0 with a 10th-round TKO.

Martin bristled at the suggestion and said McGregor was "more of a spectacle".

"A spectacle, but this is where he's not a spectacle," Tyson said. "He'd never really had a boxing match in his life. He went 10 rounds with the best fighter in the last 100 years of boxing. He went 10 rounds, scored punches on the best fighter in the last 100 years.

"Did he accomplish something, people just want to see the black guy beat the white guy, but look what he had to fight against and look what he did when he fought against it. Imagine a guy who's never had a boxing match and he's fighting boxing with me. We go 10 rounds and he's fighting me and we're fighting."

Martin said: "I don't think he makes it 10 rounds".

"But imagine if he did," Tyson continued. "And we're fighting and I'm doing my thing, that's a bad motherf***er. First fight 10 rounds with the champ, the best champ in 50 years or something like that. That's the winner of the fight. It should have been over in one round, two round fight. Floyd should have taken it easy, it should have been easy, he had to sweat, he had to fight him.

"He was fighting somebody who was throwing them back and he was worried. When somebody's throwing back, you've got to be apprehensive. That's the only thing in boxing, he was throwing back. Normally a guy, he should have panicked and not been throwing punches back but he kept fighting. He should have panicked, he's never been in this s*** and he's in there with the greatest fighter in the business. He should have panicked, he kept his cool."

Tyson said the difference between UFC and boxing came down to the promotion and the habit, despite boxing losing some lustre in recent years, highlighted by the Canelo hold.

But the kind words didn't escape McGregor, who was quick to respond to the former heavyweight champ and pledge to beat Floyd when they get back in the squared circle.

Thank you Mike, and just know that for the inevitable rematch, with the knowledge I now hold of Floyd’s style, plus under the tutelage of my old school boxing coach, I will crack the puzzle, and I will beat Floyd.
I promise my life on it.
It is great to see you back Iron Mike ❤️ https://t.co/NDrVnEaukm

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 15, 2020

The first fight between the pair has been mocked over the years for being more hype than substance but it proved to be lucrative for both parties and is still discussed three years on.

There has been plenty of talk of a Mayweather-McGregor rematch in recent months, with Mayweather posting a mock poster after the UFC star's 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone in January.

During his press conference, McGregor said a rematch with Mayweather would happen but remained coy on where it could take place if it were to go ahead.

"We'll see what happens. Old Floyd, he's a funny man old Floyd, so we'll see what happens," he said.

"Discussions are always ongoing, they never stop. You know Floyd and going through money fast. He's far from retired and that rematch will happen at some stage."

Mayweather also claimed he had to stop himself knocking McGregor out to ensure the rematch would happen.

"I took it serious, but I wanted to have some fun in the fight and I wanted to entertain the people," he told Drink Champs in February.

"You have to give the people a show, so I gave the people a show.

"If I wanted to go out there and f*** him up and blaze him right out the gate, I could've did that. But my thing is this, if I would've did that, then it wouldn't be probably a part two."

It seems the only way they can get to the bottom of this is with a rematch.