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MMA

11th Oct 2018

Floyd Mayweather gives his take on UFC 229 post-fight melee

Mayweather has compared the brawl to his 2006 fight with Zab Judah

Darragh Murphy

Floyd Mayweather knows the Nevada State Athletic Commission better than most.

The final 14 fights of Mayweather’s boxing career took place in Las Vegas, meaning he had no choice but to familiarise himself with the NSAC.

The first bout on that 14-fight streak in Nevada came opposite Zab Judah and Mayweather has compared the disgraceful brawl which marred the UFC 229 main event last weekend to his infamous clash with Judah in 2006.

The corners of Mayweather and Judah clashed after a low blow from the latter towards the end of the tenth round of the IBF title fight.

And Mayweather anticipates the NSAC to come down hard on Khabib Nurmagomedov, who jumped out of the Octagon to confront Conor McGregor’s teammates after his fourth-round submission win over the Irishman.

“I’m not too familiar with the guy McGregor was fighting, but I know the guy he was facing was undefeated,” Mayweather told ITP Live, as quoted by Boxing Scene.

“McGregor is a tough competitor but McGregor’s opponent jumped out of the ring and was fighting people in the crowd so… very unprofessional.

“It’s going to be a huge fine I’m pretty sure because with my fight against Zab Judah, there was a crazy melee in the ring and a huge penalty – a huge fine. If I’m not mistaken, seven figures.

“Not to me, but could have been to Zab Judah or my uncle Roger or even Leonard Ellerbe, so I know when a guy’s jumping out of the cage into the audience and fighting different people, the fine is going to be crazy.”

The NSAC made the decision to withhold Nurmagomedov’s purse after the post-fight antics, while McGregor was paid in full.

According to UFC President Dana White, the commission is now considering keeping Nurmagomedov’s payment – believed to be $2 million – while both fighters involved in the UFC 229 main event have been suspended for 10 days pending review ahead of a hearing.