Manny Pacquaio hints that he wants to fight Conor McGregor
Manny Pacquiao has expressed his desire to have a boxing bout against UFC superstar Conor McGregor. The boxing legend thinks he is ready to face a mixed martial artist in the ring.
In an interview with Business Mirror, Pacquiao revealed who he wants to fight next. Besides Conor McGregor, the Philippino multi-champion also hinted at IBF and WBC champion Errol Spencer Jr.
"They're my options [Spencer and McGregor], but right now, I want to experience fighting an mixed martial artist," Pacquiao told Business Mirror. "I will also donate a big portion of my income to Filipino COVID-19 victims."
Both Pacquiao and McGregor have voiced their intentions of fighting each other in the past. However, the Irishman has also hinted that he would be interested in a possible Floyd Mayweather rematch.
Conor McGregor faced Mayweather in 2017 in his only boxing performance to date. The Irishman started the fight well, but as expected, succumbed in the later rounds of the duel. The referee stopped the action in the tenth round to give Mayweather his 50th career victory.
Pacquiao's (62-7-2) last fight happened in 2019 when he defeated Keith Thurman via split decision.
Conor McGregor and Manny Pacquiao's manager says a fight is 'inevitable'
Former UFC double-champion Conor McGregor and Manny Pacquiao share the same manager, Audi Attar. The duo's manager told Dubai Eye 103.8 Sport that he believes a fight between the two is set to happen in 2021.
"I definitely believe it's inevitable for 2021," McGregor's manager, Audie Attar of Paradigm Sports Management, said. "Both fighters want it. That's the key. You can't make something happen or orchestrate it or choreograph it – which is the buzzword of this interview – you can't fake that. If one side wants it and the other doesn't, it's not going to happen. But when both fighters want that fight to happen, why wouldn't it happen? If the fans want to see it – that almost guarantees that it's going to happen, right? As there's enough interest to develop something there.
According to Attar, the UFC was already notified that Conor McGregor wishes to have a boxing match after his bout with Dustin Poirier in UFC 257.
"The UFC said, 'Alright, let's do that rematch [with Poirier].' We said, 'OK, well, let's do that rematch first then, but then Manny will be the next fight.' And that's what both fighters want. So, that's the plan," Attar said. "We've been having amazing conversations with stakeholders across the world, including the Middle East. We'll see where it goes. I'd be shocked if it didn't happen in 2021."