McGregor Says Crawford Turned Down $200 Million Because He Didn't Want to Get Kicked

Conor McGregor went on The Ariel Helwani Show last night and casually dropped one of the craziest revelations in crossover fight history.

There was a two fight deal on the table. McGregor vs Terence Crawford. One fight in MMA, one fight in boxing. Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi boxing chief who has been throwing money at combat sports like it's confetti, brokered the whole thing. Got both fighters on the phone together. The package was reportedly worth $200 million for Crawford.

Crawford said no.

"I got on the phone, 'What's the craic, Terence? It's the Mac,'" McGregor told Helwani. "I don't want to be kicked by you, no way." That was Crawford's answer. $200 million on the table and the man said no because he didn't want to get kicked.

And this is the same Terence Crawford who has been filmed wrestling grown men recreationally. Who grew up grappling. Who has the athletic background to at least compete in a cage. But $200 million wasn't enough to convince him to try.

How This Started

Crawford was at Freedom 250 on Sunday night. Ringside at the White House. He watched Gaethje break Topuria's face over four rounds and then went on social media after the fight and started mocking Topuria.

The thing is, Topuria had been saying for months that he wanted to do crossover boxing matches eventually. He talked about fighting Crawford specifically. So when Topuria got beaten up at the White House, Crawford took the opportunity to clown him. Kicked the man while he was already down. Literally hours after the worst night of Topuria's career.

McGregor saw it and lost it.

"This bubble that a lot of these people are in, this little protected bubble, I'd slap the head off every single one of them easily," McGregor said on the Helwani Show. "No matter the weight, heavyweight and all. I'd slap them around."

Then he explained why Crawford's comments specifically bothered him.

"It was in a mixed martial arts bout. That wasn't a boxing bout. Cupped the back of the head, cracked him with a few elbows, a few uppercuts, kicks low, kicks high. It was a mixed martial arts bout that beat him bad. It wasn't a boxing bout. And the fact that the guy was ringside, I didn't like it."

McGregor's point is actually valid here. Crawford was making fun of a fighter who lost an MMA fight while Crawford himself refuses to compete in MMA. You don't get to mock someone for losing in a sport you're too scared to try. That was the energy McGregor came in with and then he dropped the $200 million bomb.

The Deal

McGregor laid the whole thing out on the Helwani Show.

Turki Alalshikh was presenting McGregor with fight opportunities. Conor has been talking about his return for months and the Saudi money was looking for ways to make the biggest possible events. Crawford's name came up.

"They were saying maybe boxer first. Lads, I've done this. I've done the boxing. They have to come to me now. I'll do the boxing after."

McGregor insisted on MMA first, boxing second. He fought Mayweather in a boxing ring in 2017. He's done the crossover going in THEIR direction. His whole argument is that if boxers want a piece of him now, they have to come to the cage first.

"We just worked out a two fight deal. Mixed martial arts first, Terence, and boxing after. I said he's not gonna accept it."

Turki got Crawford on the phone. McGregor was on the other end.

"I hope he accepts it. He can f***ing wrestle."

Crawford's answer was immediate. No hesitation.

"I don't want to be kicked by you, no way."

$200 million, two fights. From a man who is 40-0 in boxing with wins over Spence, Porter, and Madrimov, a five division champion and arguably the best pound for pound boxer of the last decade. A man with actual wrestling credentials who could theoretically survive in a cage if he trained for it.

But No because kicks. Its wild bro

"Maybe His Son Will Have the Courage"

McGregor wasn't done.

"Maybe we'll have to wait for his son to do it. Maybe his son will have the f***ing courage to do it. Whatever."

Bro is calling the greatest boxer of his generation a coward and then suggesting his SON might have more guts than the father. Whether you love McGregor or hate him, that line is going to follow Crawford around for a while.

And honestly the frustration behind it is legitimate even if the delivery is over the top. McGregor started the crossover trend in 2017. He went to boxing. He fought Mayweather on Mayweather's turf under Mayweather's rules. He lost but he showed up. He took the risk and competed in a sport that wasn't his.

Since then, multiple MMA fighters have crossed over to boxing. Jake Paul built an entire career on it. Ngannou boxed Fury and Joshua. Anderson Silva boxed professionally. The traffic has been almost entirely one way. MMA fighters going to boxing. Boxers almost never coming to MMA.

Crawford had $200 million and a wrestling background and still said no. That's McGregor's point. The crossover door only swings one direction because boxers won't walk through it.

Crawford's Side

To be fair, Crawford's reasoning isn't stupid even if McGregor makes it sound that way.

Crawford told Bernie Tha Boxer back in October 2024 when the story first surfaced: "I'm not getting in no f*ing Octagon with you so you can be kicking me and elbowing me and st."

That's an honest assessment of the risk. Elbows, kicks, knees, takedowns, submissions. Boxing does not prepare you for any of that regardless of how good your hands are. Crawford could be the best boxer alive (and at one point he was) and still get leg kicked into oblivion by a decent MMA lightweight.

Turning down $200 million is insane on paper. But turning down $200 million to avoid permanent physical damage in a sport you haven't trained for is actually rational. Crawford's legacy in boxing is perfect. 40-0. Why risk brain damage and broken limbs in someone else's sport when your own sport already made you wealthy and famous?

The counterargument is that McGregor did exactly that in 2017. He risked his MMA legacy by boxing Mayweather. He lost. And he came out the other side richer and more famous than ever. The risk is the whole point. And Crawford wouldn't take it.

Three Weeks From Holloway

McGregor fights Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11. That's 24 days away. Instead of being in camp mode doing media silence, he's on the Helwani Show going to war with Terence Crawford over a deal that fell apart two years ago because a boxer didn't want to get kicked.

That's Conor. The man cannot help himself. A camera turns on and he has to be the most interesting person in the room. Even when the room is supposed to be about his upcoming fight against Holloway, the headline is about a $200 million deal with a retired boxer.

Whether the Crawford story helps or hurts McGregor's focus heading into July 11 is a question his coaches probably have strong opinions about. But for the fans? This is exactly the kind of chaos that makes McGregor the biggest name in the sport even after five years away.

$200 million. No. Because kicks.

That might be the most expensive "no" in combat sports history.

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