FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR has described Khabib Nurmagomedov as “very unprofessional” for his actions at UFC 229 and expects the Russian to be handed a heavy fine.
Nurmagomedov retained his lightweight belt by forcing Conor McGregor to tap out in the fourth round of Saturday’s hotly anticipated and highly-charged bout in Las Vegas.
But his impressive victory was marred as he subsequently jumped out of the octagon to confront McGregor’s stable-mate Dillon Danis, sparking a mass brawl.
During the melee, two individuals made their way into the ring to take on McGregor before the ugly scenes were eventually calmed and both fighters were escorted from the arena.
Nurmagomedov has seen his share of the purse withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).
And boxing great Mayweather - who defeated McGregor in the Irishman’s sole foray into the professional ring – says the lightweight champion can anticipate a massive financial penalty.
Then ‘Pretty Boy Floyd’, his April 2006 bout with compatriot Zab Judah — which also took place in Las Vegas under the supervision of NSAC — was marred by a brawl which erupted in the ring following a Judah low blow on Mayweather in the 10th round.
“I’m not too familiar with the guy McGregor was fighting”, Mayweather told ITP Live, “but I know the guy he was facing was undefeated.”
“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 [Mayweather's manager] 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 fine paid by Judah was, in fact, six figures: $250,000 — the entire sum he was due to earn for the fight. The New Yorker also had his Nevada boxing licence revoked for one year.
His father and trainer, Yoel Judah, was also fined $100,000 and suspended for a year by NSAC.
Mayweather’s adviser Leonard Ellerbe was fined $50,000 for his role in the brawl and had his manager’s licence suspended for four months by the Nevada state body.
- Omni
With additional reporting from Gavan Casey
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