The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Round 1 begins outside the ring
McGregor takes aim at Mayweather’s $22.2M tax liability.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. reached into a backpack and held out 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,” referring to the news that Mayweather owes the IRS $22.2 million in taxes from 2015.
Mayweather replied: “You’re right. I’m the IRS, and I’m going to tax your (butt).”
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 raucous crowd that thoroughly enjoyed this circus’ first stop in Hollywood. Both fighters promised a knockout, and they had a prolonged shouting match during their second faceoff, with UFC President Dana White stepping between them.
“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.”
All but the most naive fight fans realize the promotion for this bout could be much 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.
Mayweather, 40, was coaxed out of his latest retirement for the colossal payday. The bout will cost $99.95 on high-definition pay-perview, while tickets at T-Mobile Arena will range from $500 to $10,000.
In the meantime, the IRS says it’s still waiting for its cut from Mayweather for his nine-figure payday against Manny Pacquiao.
The notice shows the balance unpaid as of March 6. The lien was filed with county officials in Las Vegas in April, and the boxing champ last week filed for a temporary reprieve with the U.S. Tax Court.
Mayweather declined to talk about his taxes, and his tax attorney did not return a request seeking comment.
Review confirms Pacquiao’s defeat
An independent review of the scoring in Manny Pacquiao’s contentious WBO welterweight world title loss to Jeff Horn confirmed the outcome in favor of the Australian former schoolteacher.
The WBO said three of the five independent judges who reviewed the bout awarded it to Horn, one awarded it to Pacquiao and one scored a draw.