Floyd Mayweather and UFC president Dana White go way back.
The boxer took a passive aggressive swipe at White earlier this week, seeming to blame the UFC boss for the public feuding he's had with stars like Ronda Rousey and UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
After Mayweather complained of a racist double standard among white and black athletes in combat sports that celebrates a brash star like McGregor, the Irishman fired back at "Money" saying that, "There's people buried in the desert for less than that."
Speaking with the Huffington Post, White was asked if Mayweather has a legitimate gripe.
"I think Floyd's way off there," White said. "I think that Floyd, because he's Floyd, he feels more hate than love. I think what Floyd doesn't realize is that I meet tons of people who hate Floyd and I meet tons of people who love Floyd. Floyd has fans and he has people who dislike him. McGregor has the same thing. Forget about race and all that other stuff. McGregor has a ton of fans and lots of people who don't like him. It's no different."
White pointed to another boxing champion who wasn't universally celebrated during his career.
"Muhammad Ali was fighting at a time when there was real, hardcore racism," said White. "A guy couldn't eat in certain restaurants after he won the gold medal and had to get in the back of the bus and things like that. He was [fighting] during real racism. Look at Ali now. He's loved and adored by millions of people around the world regardless of race. Mike Tyson, the same thing. I would say that people are judged more on their personality than their race. Let's face it, Floyd does things that will not make people like him."
Mayweather was a target of Rousey's over his troubling history of domestic violence. In 2012, Mayweather served two months in a Las Vegas jail for a misdemeanor domestic battery charge.
"Me and Floyd go back and forth with each other all the time talking smack I guess," said White. "Whatever you want to call it. Floyd is a little delusional sometimes. When Floyd was "Pretty Boy Lloyd" nobody really cared. When he became "Money Mayweather" it created a lot of attention for himself. You're going to have people who love you and people that hate you, whether you're black or white."
5 MUST-READ STORIES
The MMA Beat. The panel discusses the fallout from the now former UFC 196 card, the promotion's decision to move it to FS1, Jose Aldo's future, Ronda Rousey on "Saturday Night Live," UFC on FOX 18 and more.
Not so fast. Former UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre and his manager deny the report claiming he's making his return to fighting.
Rumble or Crumble. Anthony Johnson responds to accusations of being "mentally weak."
'I went for the normal attack.' Jose Aldo doesn't regret anything in loss to Conor McGregor.
'We're aggressively signing talent.' Bellator plans to crown flyweight and featherweight women's champions in 2016.
MEDIA STEW
Highlights from the UFC's open workouts in New Jersey.
Josh Barnett's wrasslin' match.
Dana White talks Chael on Celebrity Apprentice, CM Punk's debut, Ronda Rousey and more.
Before UFC on FOX 18, see how Anthony Johnson and Ryan Bader reached the main event in Newark, N.J.
Aljamain Sterling and Al Iaquinta break down UFC on FOX 18.
Matt Serra hates Adrian from the Rocky movies.
Long watches.
...
TWEETS
Hungry.
Eat them. pic.twitter.com/HzbbOWknyp
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 28, 2016
Pretty cool.
Now time for a chilled evening watching @UFCFightPass!! Looking forward to watching @SpiderAnderson at #UFCLondon pic.twitter.com/ansQv8o4Bc
— Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) January 28, 2016
Excited?
It's gonna be 5round war. April 16 #UFConFOX19 #MainEvent winner gets everything, let's go...... https://t.co/6xv3rguarH
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 28, 2016
Don't worry about Ring Rust @TeamKhabib I'll make it quick #BuyStockinBubblewrap #ElCucuy @UFCONFOX #TonyFergusonMMA pic.twitter.com/awyVi1Qe0n
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) January 28, 2016
Sage has tricks.
#Repost @ufc ・・・ @SuperSageNorthcutt entertains the crowd @UFCGym during #UFCNewJersey Open Workouts @reebok pic.twitter.com/ovRCyOvQ2p
— Sage Northcutt (@sagenorthcutt) January 28, 2016
He knows something.
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) January 29, 2016
UFC 200??? https://t.co/PUiFpL81PD
— Cathal Pendred (@Pendred) January 29, 2016
Beef.
this pussy hits like a little muggy BITCH. #TBT to the biggest bitch in MMA. I hope you get... https://t.co/xcU7B1Cmcx
— Josh Koscheck (@JoshKoscheck) January 28, 2016
#bringbackkenny
Hey @UFCONFOX bring @kennyflorian back. One of the best analyst in the game. He brings a lot of knowledge and value @ufc
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 28, 2016
We're all human, bring the man back @kennyflorian https://t.co/3g4xjruYDs
— Beneil Dariush (@beneildariush) January 28, 2016
I support @kennyflorian https://t.co/koHcghuz37
— Fabricio Werdum (@FabricioWerdum) January 28, 2016
Fun.
@TheDomin8r not sure if you have seen this but someone made a music video out of your last fight sillyshaw. https://t.co/oDhpraT7BO
— The Jobbers (@The_Jobbers) January 28, 2016
.@The_Jobbers the Internet is comedy
— Dominick Cruz (@TheDomin8r) January 28, 2016
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Jan. 28 2016)
Mark Eddiva vs. Daniel Hooker at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Mir
Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 196
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Ruslan Magomedov at UFC Fight Night: Zagreb
Jan Blachowicz vs. Igor Pokrajac at UFC Fight Night: Zagreb
Bojan Mihajlovic vs. Francis Ngannou at UFC Fight Night: Zagreb
Nicolas Dalby vs. Bartosz Fabinski at UFC Fight Night: Zagreb
Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.