Turki Alalshikh got Conor McGregor on the phone about a boxing match. Dana White killed it from a few feet away without opening his mouth.
Islam Makhachev told UFC Eurasia that the call happened while the two were sitting together at a boxing event, and that he sent Alalshikh straight to the only person who could actually approve it.
I have a new story to tell regarding McGregor. I went to a boxing event and I was with Turki Alalshikh. He called Conor. He asked Conor if he wants to box with me.
Yes, that, I am down. I told him to ask Dana White who was near us. He laughed about it. We couldn’t really talk. He started showing … body language.
Makhachev was under no illusions about the matchup.
Why not? I am not a high level boxer but I can handle myself with other MMA fighters on the feet.
On paper, this should be simple. Alalshikh is a partner in Zuffa Boxing alongside TKO and Sela, with White and WWE President Nick Khan running the promotion. Both fighters are under UFC contract. One company, one set of contracts, one conversation.
White has ruled it out repeatedly.
No, never. I’m sure there are guys that want to box, but I literally don’t want to see any of that. We’ll keep the boxers in boxing, and the MMA guys in MMA.
That policy is why Zuffa Boxing keeps getting linked with established heavyweights rather than crossover spectacles, no matter how much money is waiting for one.
Alalshikh has been circling McGregor for a while. In June, McGregor said the Saudi had a $200 million two-fight offer ready for Terence Crawford, which Crawford declined. Makhachev said earlier this month that Alalshikh had raised boxing with him more than once without naming a name. This is the first time the name has been McGregor.
McGregor is still recovering from the knee injury that ended his UFC 329 return against Max Holloway after 69 seconds. Makhachev defends his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330.
