Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White has told boxing great Floyd Mayweather that the only way he can fight Khabib Nurmagomedov is in the UFC.
White insisted that he is not particular about Khabib "boxing" against Mayweather even as the undefeated American boxer hinted the much-talked-about fight is likely to be inside a ring and not an octagon.
Notably, Mayweather had beaten UFC star Conor McGregor in a crossover fight in Las Vegas last year after the latter agreed to a boxing match.
Both MMA and the boxing world is abuzz with speculations of a super-fight between Khabib and Mayweather after the two superstar teaser their fans with some exchanges on social media.
Khabib had challenged Mayweather when he met Leonard Ellerbe, the chief executive of Mayweather Promotions, during a World Boxing Super Series event recently, to which the undefeated boxer responded in the affirmative.
"If Mayweather wants to fight, come fight, come to the UFC. We're not boxing again, we did that once, that's over. You wanna fight, you come fight... a real fight," White told TMZ.
Only recently, Timofey Kurgin, founder of The Money Team Russia, revealed that Mayweather has been negotiating with the UFC over a possible contract to take on Khabib, whose popularity is growing worldwide.
Mayweather had made close to $300m from the "The Money Fight" against McGregor last year and is expecting another big payday if the fight against Khabib comes to fruition.
The venue for the potential fight has become a crucial topic of discussion as Khabib had rejected Mayweather's suggestion of having the match-up in Las Vegas.
Both Khabib and McGregor face extended bans from the Nevada State Athletic Commission over the post-fight melee at UFC 229 earlier this month.
After Khabib retained the lightweight title by beating McGregor via submission, he jumped over the octagon to attack a member of the latter team, leading to chaotic scenes at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Keeping in mind the NSAC ban, Russian Boxing Federation general secretary Umar Kremlev had offered to help, saying they would be happy to host the much-anticipated fight in Moscow's 80,000-seater Luzhniki Stadium.
Khabib likely to face Tony Ferguson next
Meanwhile, White hinted a rematch between McGregor and Khabib is unlikely and that the Russian champion would be facing Tony Ferguson (26-3) next.
"Tony Ferguson is the right fight, he didn't lose the belt in a fight so it's the right fight. It's the fight to make, we'll see how this whole thing plays out, it all depends on the suspension," White added.
