When Floyd Mayweather Challenged Then-Seriously Injured Kobe Bryant for $1 Million “One on One” Match After Conor McGregor Victory
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Jul 4, 2022 | 12:45 PM EDT
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 14: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor come face to face during the Floyd Mayweather Jr. v Conor McGregor World Press Tour at SSE Arena on July 14, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 14: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor come face to face during the Floyd Mayweather Jr. v Conor McGregor World Press Tour at SSE Arena on July 14, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 14: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor come face to face during the Floyd Mayweather Jr. v Conor McGregor World Press Tour at SSE Arena on July 14, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 14: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor come face to face during the Floyd Mayweather Jr. v Conor McGregor World Press Tour at SSE Arena on July 14, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
Former five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. seems to have a penchant for crossover bouts. And to add to it, the former champ has also been extremely successful in the same. In a rather unlikely matchup of sorts, Mayweather once challenged late NBA legend, Kobe Bryant, to a one-on-one game of basketball.
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Bryant had posted a clip of the making of an animated basketball film, ‘Dear Basketball’. Moreover, the film narrated by Bryant himself is based on a letter he wrote for The Players’ Tribune on November 29, 2015, announcing his retirement from basketball.
Notably, Bryant was also nursing a torn Achilles at that time. While he opened his heart, Mayweather saw in it a potential for a crossover basketball game.
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MIAMI, FL – JUNE 6: Floyd Mayweather meets with the press following the Mayweather vs Paul: Bragging Rights boxing event on June 06, 2021, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Mayweather challenged Bryant for a match in the comments section. He wrote, “@kobebryant I’m ready to play you one on one for $1,000,000.”
It is worth noting that Mayweather was fresh off his crossover victory against Conor McGregor. However, Mayweather’s situationally irrelevant comment did not sit well with both NBA and boxing fans.
The Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor crossover bout
The Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor showdown was one of the most highly anticipated crossover fights. Throughout his UFC career, McGregor had entertained the idea of a big-money fight with Mayweather.
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LAS VEGAS, NV – AUGUST 26: (L-R) Floyd Mayweather Jr. throws a punch at Conor McGregor during their super welterweight boxing match on August 26, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The duo agreed to terms and signed a contract in May 2017. The news kept both the boxing and UFC fandom at the edge of their seats in anticipation.
Mayweather faced McGregor at the T Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada on August 26, 2017. While McGregor showcased a stellar performance, Mayweather emerged the victor via a 10th-round TKO.
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What do you think of Mayweather challenging Bryant? Let us know in the comments below.