FLOYD MAYWEATHER has sensationally revealed he will have his first MMA fight before the year is out.
And stoking the fires of a potential scrap against fierce rival Conor McGregor, the former boxing world champ will compete at the same weight, in the 145lbs division.
Speaking to FightHype.com, the 41-year-old said: “I started training already, not the physical part -endurance, as far as moving around. So far, I’ve started running.
“I’m thinking about fighting in the MMA, I’ve thought about it. I started training in Miami. I look forward to fighting probably by the end of the year.
“Right now it’s a 50-50 (chance), not 100 per cent. But we’ve started training.”
Mayweather will train with UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and will have further coaching on the Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and kicking side of the game.
He added: “Me and Woodley have spoke to each other on numerous occasions. We talked. We said we’re going to start working out, as far as he’s got a great hand game already
“I’m going to be working with different guys in the Jiu-Jitsu world.
NOT JOSHING Heavyweight world champ will move into UFC
“My wrestling game, I’m going to be working with guys with the wrestling. My kicking game, I’m going to be working with guys for the kicking game.
“Before I get in the octagon, I’ve got to be well rounded, all around the board.”
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Mayweather said fighting barefoot is something new to him but fighting in general isn’t, and fancies his chances of another victory against old foe McGregor in his own sport.
He added: “The thing is this — say I’m fighting a guy that has some unbelievable Jiu-Jitsu skills, unbelievable wrestling skills, but the thing is this.
“His chances of getting to me, I mean, the percentage of his chances getting to me to lock up with me, he has to come in first. But he may lock up with me, and he may get wrapped up in certain ways.”
If the former boxer makes the move into the Octagon, Mayweather is aware of the challenge he faces, admitting it is a “brutal” sport.
He said: “You don’t know how things could play out or how things could happen. With MMA, anything can happen. It’s brutal. It’s very, very brutal.”
Last summer Mayweather secured a tenth-round KO win against McGregor, 29, and is pretty confident he has the skills to transfer into the Octagon.
The Money says he will compete in the featherweight division at 145lbs and is looking to be even faster with the MMA 4oz gloves on.
He added: “In MMA it would be totally different, because we don’t have no shoes on, and with 4oz gloves on.
“You think I’m fast with 8oze gloves on, imagine how fast I’d be with 4oz gloves on.”
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