While Conor McGregor insists he’s returning to the UFC for his next fight, we can’t seem to get rid of rumors that maybe he’ll be fighting a boxer next anyways. There was all the smoke but no fire when it came to Floyd Mayweather moving over to the UFC for a fight (which Floyd backed away from the moment it started becoming too real).
And then there’s Manny Pacquiao, who got so eager about a Pacquiao-McGregor fight that UFC president Dana White had to threaten a lawsuit to make him back off. And while Manny’s promoter Bob Arum is claiming there’s no talk or intention on their side, other sources continue to push the narrative that Pacquiao has been trying to slide into McGregor’s DMs.
“I’ve had some of Manny’s friends call me and say ‘Can you talk to Conor’s management?’ I’ve had that happen over the last six months,” famed UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer told TMZ Sports. “It’s not my position to do that. I told them ‘You guys know who to call. Call the right people!’ Money talks and people walk.”
Based on everything we’ve witnessed over the past couple of weeks, both Conor and the UFC are tired of one way invitations into boxing and are now trying to press some of these money hungry boxers to cross over and challenge McGregor in the Octagon. It should be no surprise that Dana White let slip that Mayweather’s UFC talks were real right around the time Mayweather pulled out. That’s a classic Dana negotiating tactic to put pressure on the boxing legend to put up or shut up.
We imagine White would be just as happy to accept Manny as the sacrificial lamb. Bruce Buffer was kind enough to extend the invitation.
“Let’s see a boxer fight under MMA rules and fight Conor in the Octagon, and it might be another tremendously huge payday,” Bruce said. “And honestly if you know Manny Pacquiao and you know about his training and his background, who knows? It could be a possibility, you never know. That to me would be a mega-fight. Stepping in the Octagon. Conor has already stepped into the squared ring. Maybe its time for someone with major status in boxing to step into the Octagon.”
That would absolutely be something we’d love to see. But unfortunately, there aren’t many boxers out there as crazy (or confident) as Conor McGregor to give it a try.
