Conor McGregor: I'm up for $3.5m bet and will knock out Mendes
CONOR McGregor has confirmed that he has proposed a huge $3.5million bet with UFC chiefs ahead of tomorrow night's Las Vegas showdown with Chad Mendes.
The Dubliner revealed that he offered the organisation's president Dana White and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta the eye-watering terms via email, wagering that he would knock Mendes out by the second round of the featherweight interim title bout at a sold-out MGM Grand.
McGregor's purse for the headline fight of UFC 189, which originally was to feature a title fight with champion Jose Aldo before the Brazilian succumbed to a rib injury, has been reported to be as much as $4million. However he is apparently willing to put his neck on the line for an even bigger pay day.
"It's a business thing. We discussed numbers and three-and-a-half was a number we discussed," revealed McGregor after a public work-out at the resort.
"It's a good bet. It's a damn good bet. I'd take it. I hope he takes it. We'll see. We were discussing negotiations and one of them was a little friendly wager."
White first revealed the proposal of the huge wager on US radio on Tuesday. Twenty four hours later, McGregor seemed slightly put out that the UFC supremo had made a private offer public.
"I sent them an e-mail, breaking it all down. I just heard that he spoke about it on the radio. That's how everyone else knows because I didn't tell nobody. It was behind closed doors. I don't discuss business, he does. I hope that means he is taking it."
McGregor went on to pay an emotional tribute to a young fan from Ireland who lost his battle with cancer at the age of 14.
McGregor granted young Brendan McGlone from Tyrone his last wish before his untimely death from leukaemia on Monday. Brendan was a huge sports fan and his dying wish was to talk to McGregor.
"I rang the kid and we talked for a long time. It's just a really sad situation. It's heartbreaking. I have lost family members to cancer and it is a horrible, horrible thing," said McGregor.
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