John Kavanagh claims he would prefer Conor McGregor to stay in MMA rather than box Manny Pacquiao
John Kavanagh has stated that he would rather have Conor McGregor continue his MMA career than stepping into the boxing ring against Manny Pacquiao. Kavanagh is not too keen on the idea of McGregor boxing Pacquiao because he believes that the Irishman is on the cusp of doing something "extraordinary" in MMA.
Kavanagh is a longtime coach of Conor McGregor, and has been training him since 2008.
Speaking to ESPN MMA, Kavanagh reflected on McGregor's pursuit to box Pacquiao, and noted that he would want 'The Notorious' to stick to MMA.
"I'm gonna pick MMA, all day, every day. (Floyd) Mayweather one was a great experience... If he gets the (Manny) Pacquiao fight, I will be one of those memes that it's smiling but you see a tear coming down. I will high five him and wish him the best as he prepares for it. But I think we are on the path, on the journey to doing something extraordinary in mixed martial arts and that is where I would like him to go. Stick with MMA," said Kavanagh.
Conor McGregor has consistently expressed his desire to fight Manny Pacquiao. In a recent appearance on the Weighing In podcast, McGregor had said that the talks of his possible fight with the legendary Philippine boxer "are intensifying".
85 - 90 per cent chance of Conor McGregor fighting Pacquiao in March, April, or May - McGregor's boxing coach
According to Conor McGregor's coach, Phil Sutcliffe, there is an 85 - 90 per cent chance that the Irishman will fight Manny Pacquiao within the second quarter of the year.
"85-90 per cent chance, maybe April, March. March, April or May. I'd like him to be in a boxing camp for at least two months, eight weeks. I mean, he's fit now, he's going to train straight after the fight. He's gonna take probably a week off," Sutcliffe told ESPN's Ariel Helwani.
Manny Pacquiao last fought Keith Thurman in 2019 to claim the WBA (Super) welterweight title and etched his name in the boxing records for being the oldest welterweight champion ever (40).
Conor McGregor, on the other hand, has only competed once in professional boxing, against arguably the greatest boxer of all time in Floyd Mayweather Jr. He lost the fight via TKO in the tenth round.