Mayweather urged to overlook McGregor

Floyd Mayweather has been urged to pass up the chance to face Ultimate Fighting Championship superstar Conor McGregor and take on Gennady Golovkin after the middleweight world champion pledged to drop down a weight division in order to bring the unbeaten American out of retirement. Mayweather is locked in talks for a cross-code clash with McGregor but a deal is yet to be agreed.

The 40-year-old has accused the Irishman of holding up a deal being finalised to fight later in 2017, after the pair exchanged barbs on social media. Mayweather has not fought since retiring after beating Andre Berto in September 2015 to extend his unbeaten winning record to 49 fights.

Golovkin is considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet, having captured the WBA, WBC and IBF world middleweight titles. The Kazakhstan fighter has been chasing a money-spinning unification bout with Mexican Canelo Alvarez, but the pair continue to dodge each other’s advances.

WBA regular middleweight title holder Daniel Jacobs is Golovkin’s next opponent on 18 March, yet he has already turned his attention to the future. “Especially for Floyd I would go to 154lbs or 160lbs, if he wants,” he told ESPN. “This is the dream fight. There is a big difference between Floyd and Canelo. Floyd is Floyd; he is the best pound-for-pound. Canelo is nothing. I spoke with him last year, I want this fight and I need this fight. I’m tired of talking too much. I don’t respect him because he’s selfish.”