Mega-fight buildup off to frenzied start

Floyd Mayweather Jr. held a $100 million check for the crowd of 11,000 fight fans to see.

“Let me show you what a $100 million fighter looks like,” he said.

Conor McGregor interrupted from his stool behind the podium: “That’s to the tax man.”

Mayweather replied: “You’re right. I’m the IRS, and I’m going to tax your ass.”

The undefeated boxer and the Irish UFC champion have thrown their first jabs in a summer of verbal sparring before the fighting spectacle of the year.

Mayweather and McGregor kicked off a four-city promotional tour Tuesday at Staples Center, facing off in front of a crowd that enjoyed this circus’ first stop in Hollywood. Both fighters promised a knockout.

“I am fighting, and he is boxing,” McGregor said. “It’s two men at the top of their game competing. It’s two worlds colliding. That enough is reason why this is what it is.”

Most fight fans realize the promotion for this bout could be more entertaining than the historic 154-pound fight Aug. 26 in Las Vegas.

“He looks good for a sevenor eight-figure fighter, but I’m a nine-figure fighter,” Mayweather said. “This (guy) made $3 million his last fight, but we know that’s training camp money for me.”

The 40-year-old Mayweather has been coaxed out of his latest retirement for the colossal payday coming from this unique matchup. The bout will cost $99.95 on high-definition pay-per-view, and tickets at T-Mobile Arena will range from $500 to $10,000 — and there aren’t many $500 seats.

McGregor got more personal than Mayweather, going after everything from the boxer’s apparent money troubles to his attire.

“He’s in a ... track suit,” McGregor said, looking at Mayweather. “He can’t even afford a suit anymore. The Rolls is a 2012 outside. He is (expletive). There’s no other way about it. I’m going to knock him out inside of four rounds, mark my words.” Tax trouble for Mayweather: The IRS says Mayweather still owes $22.2 million in taxes from 2015, the year he earned his biggest payday with a blockbuster fight against Manny Pacquiao.

A notice of a federal tax lien filed against the undefeated fighter nicknamed “Money” shows the balance as unpaid as of March 6. The document was filed with county officials in Las Vegas in April.

The lien for 2015 is just the latest in a series of tax liens filed by the IRS against Mayweather over the past decade.

Mayweather’s tax attorney did not immediately return a request seeking comment Tuesday.