Conor McGregor vs Manny Pacquiao: Filipino confirms fight against UFC superstar in Middle East
McGregor lost to another boxing legend in Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2017
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Manny Pacquiao has confirmed he will fight Conor McGregor in the Middle East next year as boxing meets MMA once again.
The UFC superstar was supposedly retired from fighting after vowing to walk away from the octagon for a third time in four years, but the 32-year-old created buzz on Friday by revealing a mega fight against the legendary Filipino.
After losing to Floyd Mayweather in 2017 by knockout, McGregor will hope to prove his worth in the boxing ring once more, this time against a much smaller opponent, with the 41-year-old corroborating his claim.
“For the sake of all the Filipino Covid-19 victims, Senator Manny Pacquiao will be fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor next year,” said Pacquiao’s office.
"The huge portion of his earnings will proceed to those who are affected nationwide by the pandemic."
McGregor had taken to Twitter earlier, claiming it would be an “honour” to share the ring with the eight-division world champion.
“I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East,” McGregor said. “It will be a true honour to have faced two of the greatest boxers of the modern era.”
Pacquiao, 41, last fought in July 2019, beating Keith Thurman to take his record to 62 wins and seven defeats, with two draws.
McGregor vs Mayweather was one of the most lucrative fights of all time, generating £450m in pay-per-view revenue, although the fight itself delivered few fireworks as Mayweather won with relative ease.
McGregor vs Pacquiao would likely generate huge interest too, particularly in the Philippines where Pacquiao is hugely popular.
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