Floyd Mayweather claims there’s a 50-50 chance he’ll compete in “very brutal” MMA this year

The rampant talk of Floyd Mayweather’s potential move to MMA continues.

The ostensibly retired boxer is now claiming that he’s begun the early phases of his preparation, and that there’s a 50-50 chance he’ll fight in four-ounce gloves before the end of 2018.

“I started training already,” Mayweather told FightHype.com (h/t MMAFighting). “Not the physical part, just the endurance part. I’m thinking about fighting in MMA. I’ve thought about it. I started training in Miami. I look forward to fighting probably at the end of the year. We don’t know. Right now it’s 50/50, it’s not 100 percent but I’ve already started training. . . I really don’t know yet but I’m very, very interested. We’ll just see. Everything takes time. Everything takes time.”

So, if it truly is 50-50, what will it take to the tip the balance in favor of “Money” competing in MMA this year? You guessed it… Money.

“I can’t really say how things are gonna play out,” said Mayweather. “I’m a numbers man. I’m all about the numbers. If the numbers like [a McGregor rematch], we can make it happen. One thing about me, I’m never ducking no fighters. So, Conor McGregor – tough, vicious competitor. Just like he feels he’s got dynamite hands with the four-ounce gloves on, I feel like I’ve got dynamite power with the four-ounce gloves on. In our fight he said there’s no way he’s gonna get knocked out with eight ounce gloves on. I feel like he was complaining about the ref stopping it but if the ref wanted me to really actually kill a guy, he could have let that happen, but he saved him.”

Mayweather also addressed his much-discussed work with UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley. Apparently, Woodley will be one of many people he calls on.

“Me and Woodley have spoke to each other on numerous occasions,” Mayweather said (h/t MMAJunkie). “We talked. We said we’re going to start working out, as far as he’s got a great hand game already. I’m going to be working with different guys in the jiu-jitsu world. My wrestling game, I’m going to be working with guys with the wrestling. My kicking game, I’m going to be working with guys for the kicking game. Before I get in the Octagon, I’ve got to be well rounded, all around the board.”

“With MMA, anything can happen. It’s brutal. It’s very, very brutal.”

Do you think we’ll ever see Floyd Mayweather in the cage?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/27/2018.