One of boxing's most powerful promoters wants Conor McGregor to fight his client Terence Crawford in MMA

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Terence Crawford and Conor McGregor.

• Terence Crawford should fight Conor McGregor using mixed martial arts (MMA) rules, Crawford's promoter Bob Arum said.
• Arum previously put forward a two-fight proposal on ESPN which would see Crawford and McGregor compete in the UFC, before engaging in a boxing rules rematch.
• Speaking to Business Insider this week, Arum reiterated his idea and said it was a fairer way of having crossover fights.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

LAS VEGAS - One of boxing's most powerful promoters has issued a challenge to the UFC star Conor McGregor - fight the world champion boxer Terence Crawford in a cage, using MMA rules.

Bob Arum, the 88-year-old founder and CEO of Top Rank, initially made a two-fight proposal on ESPN in January.

Arum suggested Crawford, who is regarded as one of the best boxers on the planet, fight McGregor in the UFC as the American boxer has a wrestling base he could use in the Octagon.

In this proposal, a rematch could be fought in the ring using boxing rules.

Speaking to Business Insider this week, Arum reiterated his idea, saying his proposal is greater than the idea of McGregor crossing over into boxing and fighting Manny Pacquiao, because a mixed martial artist would be at such a disadvantage, he or she would likely always lose.

"It seems to me that you can't keep doing these crossover fights and have the MMA guy go into boxing where he figures to lose, right?" Arum said.

"So I'm saying, let's even it up. I have a guy with a wrestling background, who is one of the great fighters of our time, Terence Crawford, he'll fight ya in MMA rules and then whoever wins will fight again in boxing rules," he told us.

"That to me is intriguing."

With a record of 36 wins (27 KOs), unbeaten, Crawford, an American welterweight, has been a champion in three weight classes but is yet to land a career-defining win.

Arum had previously told Business Insider that a fight between Crawford and his former client Manny Pacquiao is a non-starter as the Filipino fighter's team, he said, want no part in a Crawford bout.

Crawford last fought in December when he beat Egidijus Kavaliauskas at Madison Square Garden.

It is unclear when he will fight next.

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