UFC star Conor McGregor played to a partisan Toronto audience and made fun of boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s tax problems at the second stop of their four-city promotional tour.
UFC star Conor McGregor played to a partisan Toronto audience and made fun of boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s tax problems at the second stop of their four-city promotional tour.
They are scheduled to meet in an exhibition boxing match Aug. 26 in Las Vegas.
McGregor, one of the biggest stars in mixed-martial arts, was clearly the fan favorite Wednesday at the open-air Budweiser Stage, with the crowd chanting « Pay your taxes! Pay your taxes! » at Mayweather.
The IRS still has Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the hook for $7.2 million in taxes from 2010, according to records that show a lien as unresolved. That’s on top of the $22.2 million the undefeated boxer nicknamed « Money » owes in 2015 takes for the year he earned $200 million to fight Manny Pacquiao.
McGregor encouraged the crowd to shout expletives at Mayweather and his family before the Irishman launched into a nearly 10-minute profanity-laced tirade.
« Twenty-eight years of age and I’m getting fight checks and promoter checks, » McGregor said. « When Floyd was 28, he was on Oscar De La Hoya’s undercard and that’s just facts. »
The 41-year-old Mayweather produced a backpack filled with thousands of dollars in bills before grabbing an Irish flag and draping it over his shoulders to mock McGregor.
« One thing we do know, the (expletive) fans can’t fight for you, » Mayweather said to boos. « We’re not talking about being at the top one year, two years, three years, four years. Twenty-one years! »
The promotional tour opened in Los Angeles and also will hit New York City and London.
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