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Dana White’s optimism about a potential Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight is tempered by realities of deal-making

UFC President Dana White speaks in Hong Kong on Aug. 20.
(Anthony Kwan / Getty Images)
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UFC President Dana White’s switch to a more enthusiastic tone for a Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight does not mean a deal and date are at hand.

“The fight is not even close to being made,” White texted The Times on Thursday following his Wednesday night appearance on Conan O’Brien’s late-night show.

Mayweather announced in a video posted Saturday, he’d like to fight McGregor on June 10, but that window seems too short given that McGregor is awaiting the birth of his first child and that fights typically require at least eight weeks of training.

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McGregor is supposed to fight again in September. And this week, a high-ranking arena official refuted a report that any site deal is in place for June.

While White has been reluctant to admit a bout between the now un-retired 49-0 boxer Mayweather and the rare two-division UFC champion McGregor could be negotiated, he told O’Brien the financial potential of the fight makes it a worthwhile undertaking.

“I do think it’s going to happen,” White told O’Brien. “It’s going to be a tough deal. There’s obviously a lot of egos involved in this deal and a lot of people, so that always makes it tougher.

“On the flip side, there’s so much money involved, I just don’t see how it doesn’t happen.”

The sorting out will include how much Mayweather, McGregor and the UFC will earn, and while Mayweather has sought to have the fight broadcast on pay-per-view on his network of choice, Showtime, the UFC has McGregor under contract and has never ceded television production control of its fighters.

White agreed, “If the fight happened, it would be a boxing card, not MMA.”

While McGregor could be as large as a 25/1 underdog, his fighting IQ is supreme, as seen in his 13-second knockout to end former featherweight champion Jose Aldo’s 10-year unbeaten reign.

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White said McGregor is also naturally bigger than 147-pound welterweight Mayweather – the Irishman won a 170-pound UFC fight in August.

“Conor McGregor is huge,” White said. “He’s 28, in the prime of his career. Floyd is 40, always had problems with southpaws. Conor is a southpaw and Conor hits hard. When Conor hits people, they go. Floyd’s definitely not knocking him out, that’s for sure.

“I’m not saying that Conor would win this boxing match, but it sure makes it interesting.”

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

@latimespugmire

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