Crawford calls out McGregor's $200m crossover claim as a lie ahead of UFC 329 return

Terence Crawford has dismissed Conor McGregor’s claim that a $200 million crossover fight offer existed between the two, calling it fabricated ahead of McGregor’s return at UFC 329 in Las Vegas next weekend.

McGregor, who rematches Max Holloway in the UFC 329 main event in what will be his first fight in five years, claimed during recent promotional media appearances that Saudi promoter Turki Al-Sheikh had offered both men $200 million to compete in a pair of crossover bouts — one in boxing, one in MMA — and that Crawford had turned it down.

Crawford told Yahoo Sports that version of events simply did not happen. “That was a lie,” he said. “It was cap. It wasn’t never no $200 million offer. They asked me would I do it, and I told them, ‘You ain’t about to be kicking on me, Conor.’ We were on FaceTime, and I did tell him that. But they didn’t say, ‘Hey, you got $200 million. You fight him in boxing and MMA.’ That was never the case.”

Crawford added that without a concrete proposal, he had nothing real to evaluate. “If it was said to me, I could say there was an offer, but if nothing is previewed to me, I can’t say what is what. He’s making up numbers, in my head.”

Despite the denial, Crawford — who has some grappling background from wrestling in his youth — acknowledged he would have been open to the fight had a genuine offer materialised at the right time. “I would have done it. Why wouldn’t I? Back then, it would have been a good deal,” he said, adding that he was confident standing up: “I know standing up, it’s only going to take one good shot, and I’m going to put him to sleep.”

That window, however, has closed. Crawford retired last year after defeating Canelo Alvarez to become only the second male boxer in history to claim undisputed championships across three weight classes — a legacy that has left him with little appetite for a comeback. “I’m happily retired, and I don’t see myself coming back,” he said. “Done done.”

McGregor, meanwhile, faces Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas, looking to end a five-year absence from competition.