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Conor McGregor in ‘serious talks’ to fight Manny Pacquiao in the coming months

Ryan Young
·Staff writer
·2 min read

Conor McGregor is apparently narrowing in on his next fight — one that could take place in the ring in the next few months.

The UFC star tweeted out on Friday that he is going to fight boxing legend Manny Pacquiao “next in the Middle East.”

McGregor’s manager, Audie Attar, told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani on Friday that the two sides are in “serious talks” for a boxing match in either December or January — adding more weight to McGregor’s claims on Twitter.

The Middle East — it’s not clear where specifically — is one of a few locations being discussed for the bout, Attar said. A weight class hasn’t been determined, either.

UFC, Pacquiao open to idea

Attar told ESPN that there have been talks about McGregor’s future with the UFC. He last took down Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at UFC 246 in just 40 seconds in January, which marked just his second bout in the Octagon since 2016.

McGregor did take on boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in 2017, one of the highest-grossing fights of all time. A fight with Pacquiao — the 41-year-old has world titles in eight different weight classes and owns a stellar 62-7-2 overall record — would likely rival that.

Attar said he has confidence that the fight will take place in the coming months, and Pacquiao’s camp sounds like they’re on board, too.

"The Senator Manny Pacquiao has always been up for new challenges," Manny Pacquiao Promotions president Sean Gibbons said, via ESPN. "Conor McGregor showed in his fight with Floyd Mayweather he has the skills to fight with the best boxers in the world, and considering that they are both global icons and in the global landscape we live in today would be a tremendous event."

Conor McGregor
UFC star Conor McGregor is apparently ready to step back into the boxing ring. (AP/Isaac Brekken)

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