Conor McGregor sends birthday message to nemesis Floyd Mayweather

Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor has sent a birthday message to one of his chief rivals, undefeated boxing star Floyd Mayweather Jr.

McGregor and Mayweather met in the boxing ring in 2017 in a massive crossover spectacle. McGregor, who was making his pro boxing debut, performed surprisingly well in the fight’s early rounds, but was ultimately stopped by a volley of 10th-round punches.

Despite the decisive outcome of their fight, McGregor and Mayweather have frequently been linked to a rematch, and have swapped ceaseless trash talk ever since their first meeting.

On Friday—Mayweather’s 43rd birthday—that trend continued.

Speaking on Instagram, McGregor sent a birthday message to his rival, noting the fact that Mayweather didn’t appear on Forbes‘ latest list of the highest paid athletes in the world.

“Happy birthday Floyd,” McGregor wrote. “We miss you on the Forbes.”

While Conor McGregor was stopped in his first fight with Floyd Mayweather, he’s been adamant ever since that he’d defeat the boxer if a rematch ever materializes.

“I would love another go in the boxing arena,” McGregor told motivational speaker Tony Robbins in 2019. “Floyd is known for his Philly-shell defensive style of fighting. He has his right arm tucked in, or he’s orthodox so it’s the opposite, but he has one arm tucked in by his belly and one arm kept up by his ear. He uses his shoulder to deflect shots. He’s a back footed fighter, he fights on the back foot.

“That’s what I prepared for because that is all I had seen of him,” McGregor added. “My sparring partners were fighters on the back fight, fighting defensive, back against the ropes and then when I went into the fight in the early rounds, I was whooping him in the early rounds. I actually went back to my corner after the first round and said ‘this is easy’. I literally said that to my corner man, this is easy and then he had to switch up his style.”

“I believe I would win,” McGregor concluded. “Actually, there I go again with the fake humbleness. I know I would win.”

Does a rematch between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather interest you?