Tyron Woodley reveals missed opportunity to box Floyd Mayweather earlier this year
09/04/2024 05:31 PM
Off the back of his latest venture to the squared circle in an exhibition setting, Floyd Mayweather may have had himself lined up for a return against a former mixed martial arts star — in the form of ex-UFC welterweight kingpin, Tyron Woodley.
Mayweather, a former multiple-weight and time world champion professional boxer, returned to the ring at the end of last month in Mexico City, rematching New York puncher, John Gotti III in a non-scored rematch following their infamous bout last year which saw both competitors disqualified.
Tyron Woodley reveals plan to box Floyd Mayweather fell to the wayside
However, according to St. Louis veteran, Woodley, he had just missed out on the opportunity to share the ring with Mayweather — following his double-salvo of matches against the controversial Jake Paul following his exit from the Octagon.
“I took some time off, and then I had some guys b*tch out,” Tyron Woodley told the Overdogs Podcast. “I was supposed to fight Floyd (Mayweather) in June. It was never supposed to be (John) Gotti (III). That fight was me originally. I was supposed to fight KSI in January last year. He flaked out and took Dillon Danis.
Sh*t, I got offered to fight you,” Tyron Woodley told Mike Perry. “I’m pretty sure you offered to fight me. I said, I’m not fighting my dog for no f*cking peanuts. It we was gonna fight for real, we would have fought in the UFC. And that’s a hard a*s fight, he’s at the top of the game.”
Departing the Octagon following a lengthy losing skid back in 2021, Woodley recently chalked up his string of defeats to competing in a “simulation” like environment at the UFC Apex facility.
"To be honest, when I was fighting my last couple MMA fights it was just kind of like a simulation," Tyron Woodley said. "The whole Apex arena deal is kind of wack. It's like a sparring session, I don't let people come watch me spar. I don't like it, being in a weird awkward room. The cage was super small, and I just really wasn't motivated to be in a fight, especially at the time."
