Conor McGregor vs Manny Pacquiao: Former UFC champion claims he will fight boxing legend in Middle East

A fight against the boxing great Pacquiao, who has also retired, would be McGregor’s second boxing bout

Conor McGregor claims he will fight Manny Pacquiao in the Middle East in another return to the boxing ring. The former two-weight UFC champion supposedly retired from fighting this summer for the third time in four years, but claims he is back again at the age of 32.

A fight against the boxing great Pacquiao, who has also retired, would be McGregor’s second boxing bout after losing to Floyd Mayweather in 2017.

“I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East,” McGregor tweeted, hours after posting an Instagram video of himself sparring. “It will be a true honour to have faced two of the greatest boxers of the modern era.”

Thus far there has been no comment from Pacquiao’s team over a potential fight with McGregor. Pacquiao, 41, last fought in July 2019, beating Keith Thurman to take his record to 62 wins and seven defeats, with two draws.

McGregor vs Mayweather was one of the most lucrative fights of all time, generating £450m in pay-per-view revenue, although the fight itself delivered few fireworks as Mayweather won with relative ease. 

McGregor vs Pacquiao would likely generate huge interest too, particularly in the Philippines where Pacquiao is hugely popular.