Conor McGregor will step back
into the boxing ring against Manny Pacquiao after it was confirmed a deal is
close to being finalised for the two to stage a fight in the Middle East next
year.
The UFC superstar posted a
series of tweets on Friday night explaining his inactivity since January, and
saying that his next fight will be with Pacquiao.
“I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next
in the Middle East,” he said after explaining how coronavirus-enforced
restrictions have kept him away from the UFC octagon.
In a statement sent to CNN
Philippines, Pacquiao’s camp confirmed that the details of the match are still
being finalized but a big portion of the Philippine boxer’s earnings will be
used to help in the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our lawyers are finalizing all
the confidential details, but both fighters are getting ready for this one epic
last boxing fight,” the statement read.
McGregor made his pro boxing
debut in 2017 but lost a money-spinning fight to Floyd Mayweather, who then
retired with a 50-0 unbeaten record.
But the Irishman has constantly
teased a second boxing match – in the build-up to his most recent UFC win, last
January, he mentioned Pacquiao.
“The Manny Pacquiao talks have been ongoing,” he said at the
time.
“An aspiration of mine now is to
win a boxing world title. I think that would be a phenomenal feather in the cap
and something I look to achieve in the future. And something I will achieve.”
He said at the time about
Mayweather: “I would love that rematch. I thought I did, for what was in front
of me, very well.
“I thought with some slight
adjustments I would have done even better. So I feel now I could take that
victory.”
After McGregor defeated Donald
Cerrone in their UFC meeting, he quickly returned to talking about boxing.
“It’s me and Manny,” he teased
when his victory was met by a tweet from Pacquiao.
And he said about Mayweather:
“He’s far from retired. That rematch will happen at some stage.”
UFC president Dana White added:
“We’re doing something with Floyd. Floyd is in our plans and we’re in Floyd’s
plans this year. We’ll end up doing something.”
Pacquiao, 41, is the reigning
WBA welterweight champion and has won world titles in eight divisions.
He lost the richest fight of all
time to Mayweather in 2015.
No comments