Tag: Pacquiao next fight

Conor McGregor unsure about Manny Pacquiao fight after UFC 257 defeat

Conor McGregor said he’s unsure whether a planned boxing match with Manny Pacquiao will happen after his UFC 257 defeat.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on MMAJunkie.com.

***

ABU DHABI – All the moves were being made behind the scenes to make a Conor McGregor vs. Manny Pacquiao boxing match a reality but, following his defeat to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257, “The Notorious” admitted he was unsure whether those plans would still come to fruition.

McGregor (22-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) suffered his third defeat in his last six UFC outings when he was finished by Poirier (27-6 MMA, 19-5 UFC) in the second round of their main event bout on “UFC Fight Island.”

After the bout, McGregor admitted that his rumored matchup with Pacquiao was close to being confirmed, but he said he wasn’t sure what would happen following his most recent loss.

“I always did want to focus on my MMA career, but I’m also open,” he told reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage after the fight. “I’ll see what happens. I don’t know what will happen. That Manny fight was happening. That was as good as done, so I don’t know.”

During fight week, McGregor appeared to be laying the groundwork for the matchup, telling The Mac Life that “talks are intensifying for this year,” and revealing that “it’s looking like it will take place this year.”

McGregor said he planned to discuss his future with UFC president Dana White after the fight, but, as a result of his loss to Poirier, those discussions might now go in a slightly different direction.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao reportedly is in talks to face lightweight contender Ryan Garcia.

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Conor McGregor unsure about Manny Pacquiao fight after UFC 257 defeat

Conor McGregor said he’s unsure whether a planned boxing match with Manny Pacquiao will happen after his UFC 257 defeat.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on MMAJunkie.com.

***

ABU DHABI – All the moves were being made behind the scenes to make a Conor McGregor vs. Manny Pacquiao boxing match a reality but, following his defeat to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257, “The Notorious” admitted he was unsure whether those plans would still come to fruition.

McGregor (22-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) suffered his third defeat in his last six UFC outings when he was finished by Poirier (27-6 MMA, 19-5 UFC) in the second round of their main event bout on “UFC Fight Island.”

After the bout, McGregor admitted that his rumored matchup with Pacquiao was close to being confirmed, but he said he wasn’t sure what would happen following his most recent loss.

“I always did want to focus on my MMA career, but I’m also open,” he told reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage after the fight. “I’ll see what happens. I don’t know what will happen. That Manny fight was happening. That was as good as done, so I don’t know.”

During fight week, McGregor appeared to be laying the groundwork for the matchup, telling The Mac Life that “talks are intensifying for this year,” and revealing that “it’s looking like it will take place this year.”

McGregor said he planned to discuss his future with UFC president Dana White after the fight, but, as a result of his loss to Poirier, those discussions might now go in a slightly different direction.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao reportedly is in talks to face lightweight contender Ryan Garcia.

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Conor McGregor coach: ’85, 90% chance’ Manny Pacquiao fight happens

Conor McGregor’s boxing coach said there’s an ’85, 90% chance’ McGregor will fight Manny Pacquiao.

Momentum continues to build toward a boxing showdown between Manny Pacquiao and MMA star Conor McGregor.

McGregor’s boxing coach, Phil Sutcliffe, told ESPN that there’s an “85, 90 percent chance” the crossover fight will happen this spring. “Notorious” is scheduled to face Dustin Poirier in a rematch in UFC 257 on Jan. 23.

“85, 90 percent chance, maybe April, March. March, April or May,” Sutcliffe said. “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.

“I told him take a week off. Don’t worry, if he wants to take a week off, he can, then go straight back on the horse. We don’t want him out galavanting too much, but he has to enjoy the win, he has to enjoy the win, enjoy the contest.”

The Irishman is in negotiations with the iconic welterweight beltholder from the Philippines for what would be a lucrative event for both men.

McGregor has said he wants to win a major boxing title. He was stopped by Floyd Mayweather in his only boxing match, a 2017 event that generated a fortune.

“I know that talks are intensifying for [a fight against Pacquiao] this year,” McGregor told his website The Mac Life. “I am excited for a Manny Pacquiao bout and it looks like it will happen this year. What time this year? I am not sure.

“We’ll have to have some good discussions with Dana White and the UFC and see where it goes. I am open to it all, ready for it all. I will certainly attain a boxing world title before I call it a day.

“And I would be excited to do that against Emmanuel Pacquiao.”

Pacquiao and his handlers also have made it clear that he’s interested in meeting McGregor in what would be a lucrative pay-per-view fight.

“Right now I want to experience fighting in MMA,” Pacquiao told the Filipino outlet BusinessMirror, which was a reference to McGregor.

Pacquiao, 42, last fought in July 2019, when he defeated Keith Thurman by a split decision to win his 147-pound belt.

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Conor McGregor coach: ’85, 90% chance’ Manny Pacquiao fight happens

Conor McGregor’s boxing coach said there’s an ’85, 90% chance’ McGregor will fight Manny Pacquiao.

Momentum continues to build toward a boxing showdown between Manny Pacquiao and MMA star Conor McGregor.

McGregor’s boxing coach, Phil Sutcliffe, told ESPN that there’s an “85, 90 percent chance” the crossover fight will happen this spring. “Notorious” is scheduled to face Dustin Poirier in a rematch in UFC 257 on Jan. 23.

“85, 90 percent chance, maybe April, March. March, April or May,” Sutcliffe said. “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.

“I told him take a week off. Don’t worry, if he wants to take a week off, he can, then go straight back on the horse. We don’t want him out galavanting too much, but he has to enjoy the win, he has to enjoy the win, enjoy the contest.”

The Irishman is in negotiations with the iconic welterweight beltholder from the Philippines for what would be a lucrative event for both men.

McGregor has said he wants to win a major boxing title. He was stopped by Floyd Mayweather in his only boxing match, a 2017 event that generated a fortune.

“I know that talks are intensifying for [a fight against Pacquiao] this year,” McGregor told his website The Mac Life. “I am excited for a Manny Pacquiao bout and it looks like it will happen this year. What time this year? I am not sure.

“We’ll have to have some good discussions with Dana White and the UFC and see where it goes. I am open to it all, ready for it all. I will certainly attain a boxing world title before I call it a day.

“And I would be excited to do that against Emmanuel Pacquiao.”

Pacquiao and his handlers also have made it clear that he’s interested in meeting McGregor in what would be a lucrative pay-per-view fight.

“Right now I want to experience fighting in MMA,” Pacquiao told the Filipino outlet BusinessMirror, which was a reference to McGregor.

Pacquiao, 42, last fought in July 2019, when he defeated Keith Thurman by a split decision to win his 147-pound belt.

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Conor McGregor: Talks with Manny Pacquiao ‘intensifying’

Conor McGregor said that talks with Manny Pacquiao on a fight this year are “intensifying.”

Conor McGregor has given the strongest indication yet that he will fight Manny Pacquiao this year.

The UFC star, who is scheduled to face Dustin Poirier in a mixed martial arts bout on Jan. 24, is in negotiations with the iconic welterweight beltholder for what would be a lucrative a boxing match.

McGregor has said he wants to win a major boxing title. He was stopped by Floyd Mayweather in his only boxing match, in 2017.

“I know that talks are intensifying for [a fight against Pacquiao] this year,” McGregor told his website The Mac Life. “I am excited for a Manny Pacquiao bout and it looks like it will happen this year. What time this year? I am not sure.

“We’ll have to have some good discussions with Dana White and the UFC and see where it goes. I am open to it all, ready for it all. I will certainly attain a boxing world title before I call it a day. And I would be excited to do that against Emmanuel Pacquiao.”

Pacquiao and his handlers also have made it clear that he’s interested in meeting McGregor in what would be a lucrative pay-per-view fight.

“Right now I want to experience fighting in MMA,” Pacquiao told the Filipino outlet BusinessMirror, which was a reference to McGregor.

Pacquiao, 42, last fought in July 2019, when he defeated Keith Thurman by a split decision to win his 147-pound belt.

[lawrence-related id=17057,16379,15688,15490]

Conor McGregor: Talks with Manny Pacquiao ‘intensifying’

Conor McGregor said that talks with Manny Pacquiao on a fight this year are “intensifying.”

Conor McGregor has given the strongest indication yet that he will fight Manny Pacquiao this year.

The UFC star, who is scheduled to face Dustin Poirier in a mixed martial arts bout on Jan. 24, is in negotiations with the iconic welterweight beltholder for what would be a lucrative a boxing match.

McGregor has said he wants to win a major boxing title. He was stopped by Floyd Mayweather in his only boxing match, in 2017.

“I know that talks are intensifying for [a fight against Pacquiao] this year,” McGregor told his website The Mac Life. “I am excited for a Manny Pacquiao bout and it looks like it will happen this year. What time this year? I am not sure.

“We’ll have to have some good discussions with Dana White and the UFC and see where it goes. I am open to it all, ready for it all. I will certainly attain a boxing world title before I call it a day. And I would be excited to do that against Emmanuel Pacquiao.”

Pacquiao and his handlers also have made it clear that he’s interested in meeting McGregor in what would be a lucrative pay-per-view fight.

“Right now I want to experience fighting in MMA,” Pacquiao told the Filipino outlet BusinessMirror, which was a reference to McGregor.

Pacquiao, 42, last fought in July 2019, when he defeated Keith Thurman by a split decision to win his 147-pound belt.

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Conor McGregor one victory from fighting for boxing title: Sulaiman

Conor McGregor is one victory over a ranked boxer from fighting for a world title, according to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.

MMA star Conor McGregor is one boxing victory away from fighting for a world title in the sweet science.

That’s the word from WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, who told SunSport that he would be eligible for a title shot if he were to beat an opponent ranked in the  Top 15 by that sanctioning body.

McGregor has taken part in only one sanctioned boxing match – a 10th-round knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather in 2017 – but he has had great success in mixed martial arts, which Sulaiman said would work in his favor in terms of ranking.

“I would say he needs to face and defeat a ranked fighter,” Sulaiman said. “Then he would be eligible to be ranked and to compete for a title. … We have plenty of examples of Muay Thai fighters who turn professional in international boxing and they are eligible to fight for the title.

“We also have amateur superstars like Vasiliy Lomachenko. They come into professional boxing and fight for the title, and it’s proven it works.”

Sulaiman went on: “If he is to start boxing and proves with victories in boxing then he should certainly be given the opportunity to fight for a world title. We in the WBC consider the amateur career as one of the criteria for rankings.

“And, for example Muay Thai, in Thailand, we consider that career also when they enter into boxing. … Conor has a mixed martial arts resume. So if he comes into boxing and wins a fight against a ranked fighter, he would be eligible to be ranked.

“This is not a rookie entering the sport. He has a long history of combat sports. So it’s a different scenario of what it used to be in the past.”

Sulaiman believes McGregor has ability as a boxer even though he faded down the stretch against Mayweather and was stopped.

“What we saw with Mayweather was of course different with the times, the rounds, it is not the same to fight five rounds to then go 12 rounds,” Sulaiman said. “But he has ability, he has power, he has status as a fighter. But to compete and become a world champion in the WBC, he would need to fight in boxing and by merit be ranked.

“Then he would be in the position to challenge. I don’t know what weight category he would be, but definitely he would need to get a decisive win against a quality opponent to be considered to be ranked.”

McGregor, 32, is focused on his MMA career at the moment – he is set to fight Dustin Poirier in UFC 257 on Jan. 23 – but he has said he would like to win a boxing title before he’s finished.

Of course, McGregor could end up fighting for the belt of a different governing body.

He and WBA welterweight titleholder Manny Pacquiao have expressed an interest in fighting one another, which presumably means that McGregor could go directly into a title fight if Pacquiao remains champion and the fight is sanctioned when they meet.

[lawrence-related id=17057,16379,15688]

Conor McGregor one victory from fighting for boxing title: Sulaiman

Conor McGregor is one victory over a ranked boxer from fighting for a world title, according to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.

MMA star Conor McGregor is one boxing victory away from fighting for a world title in the sweet science.

That’s the word from WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, who told SunSport that he would be eligible for a title shot if he were to beat an opponent ranked in the  Top 15 by that sanctioning body.

McGregor has taken part in only one sanctioned boxing match – a 10th-round knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather in 2017 – but he has had great success in mixed martial arts, which Sulaiman said would work in his favor in terms of ranking.

“I would say he needs to face and defeat a ranked fighter,” Sulaiman said. “Then he would be eligible to be ranked and to compete for a title. … We have plenty of examples of Muay Thai fighters who turn professional in international boxing and they are eligible to fight for the title.

“We also have amateur superstars like Vasiliy Lomachenko. They come into professional boxing and fight for the title, and it’s proven it works.”

Sulaiman went on: “If he is to start boxing and proves with victories in boxing then he should certainly be given the opportunity to fight for a world title. We in the WBC consider the amateur career as one of the criteria for rankings.

“And, for example Muay Thai, in Thailand, we consider that career also when they enter into boxing. … Conor has a mixed martial arts resume. So if he comes into boxing and wins a fight against a ranked fighter, he would be eligible to be ranked.

“This is not a rookie entering the sport. He has a long history of combat sports. So it’s a different scenario of what it used to be in the past.”

Sulaiman believes McGregor has ability as a boxer even though he faded down the stretch against Mayweather and was stopped.

“What we saw with Mayweather was of course different with the times, the rounds, it is not the same to fight five rounds to then go 12 rounds,” Sulaiman said. “But he has ability, he has power, he has status as a fighter. But to compete and become a world champion in the WBC, he would need to fight in boxing and by merit be ranked.

“Then he would be in the position to challenge. I don’t know what weight category he would be, but definitely he would need to get a decisive win against a quality opponent to be considered to be ranked.”

McGregor, 32, is focused on his MMA career at the moment – he is set to fight Dustin Poirier in UFC 257 on Jan. 23 – but he has said he would like to win a boxing title before he’s finished.

Of course, McGregor could end up fighting for the belt of a different governing body.

He and WBA welterweight titleholder Manny Pacquiao have expressed an interest in fighting one another, which presumably means that McGregor could go directly into a title fight if Pacquiao remains champion and the fight is sanctioned when they meet.

[lawrence-related id=17057,16379,15688]

Conor McGregor one victory from fighting for boxing title: Sulaiman

Conor McGregor is one victory over a ranked boxer from fighting for a world title, according to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.

MMA star Conor McGregor is one boxing victory away from fighting for a world title in the sweet science.

That’s the word from WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, who told SunSport that he would be eligible for a title shot if he were to beat an opponent ranked in the  Top 15 by that sanctioning body.

McGregor has taken part in only one sanctioned boxing match – a 10th-round knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather in 2017 – but he has had great success in mixed martial arts, which Sulaiman said would work in his favor in terms of ranking.

“I would say he needs to face and defeat a ranked fighter,” Sulaiman said. “Then he would be eligible to be ranked and to compete for a title. … We have plenty of examples of Muay Thai fighters who turn professional in international boxing and they are eligible to fight for the title.

“We also have amateur superstars like Vasiliy Lomachenko. They come into professional boxing and fight for the title, and it’s proven it works.”

Sulaiman went on: “If he is to start boxing and proves with victories in boxing then he should certainly be given the opportunity to fight for a world title. We in the WBC consider the amateur career as one of the criteria for rankings.

“And, for example Muay Thai, in Thailand, we consider that career also when they enter into boxing. … Conor has a mixed martial arts resume. So if he comes into boxing and wins a fight against a ranked fighter, he would be eligible to be ranked.

“This is not a rookie entering the sport. He has a long history of combat sports. So it’s a different scenario of what it used to be in the past.”

Sulaiman believes McGregor has ability as a boxer even though he faded down the stretch against Mayweather and was stopped.

“What we saw with Mayweather was of course different with the times, the rounds, it is not the same to fight five rounds to then go 12 rounds,” Sulaiman said. “But he has ability, he has power, he has status as a fighter. But to compete and become a world champion in the WBC, he would need to fight in boxing and by merit be ranked.

“Then he would be in the position to challenge. I don’t know what weight category he would be, but definitely he would need to get a decisive win against a quality opponent to be considered to be ranked.”

McGregor, 32, is focused on his MMA career at the moment – he is set to fight Dustin Poirier in UFC 257 on Jan. 23 – but he has said he would like to win a boxing title before he’s finished.

Of course, McGregor could end up fighting for the belt of a different governing body.

He and WBA welterweight titleholder Manny Pacquiao have expressed an interest in fighting one another, which presumably means that McGregor could go directly into a title fight if Pacquiao remains champion and the fight is sanctioned when they meet.

[lawrence-related id=17057,16379,15688]

Conor McGregor one victory from fighting for boxing title: Sulaiman

Conor McGregor is one victory over a ranked boxer from fighting for a world title, according to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.

MMA star Conor McGregor is one boxing victory away from fighting for a world title in the sweet science.

That’s the word from WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, who told SunSport that he would be eligible for a title shot if he were to beat an opponent ranked in the  Top 15 by that sanctioning body.

McGregor has taken part in only one sanctioned boxing match – a 10th-round knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather in 2017 – but he has had great success in mixed martial arts, which Sulaiman said would work in his favor in terms of ranking.

“I would say he needs to face and defeat a ranked fighter,” Sulaiman said. “Then he would be eligible to be ranked and to compete for a title. … We have plenty of examples of Muay Thai fighters who turn professional in international boxing and they are eligible to fight for the title.

“We also have amateur superstars like Vasiliy Lomachenko. They come into professional boxing and fight for the title, and it’s proven it works.”

Sulaiman went on: “If he is to start boxing and proves with victories in boxing then he should certainly be given the opportunity to fight for a world title. We in the WBC consider the amateur career as one of the criteria for rankings.

“And, for example Muay Thai, in Thailand, we consider that career also when they enter into boxing. … Conor has a mixed martial arts resume. So if he comes into boxing and wins a fight against a ranked fighter, he would be eligible to be ranked.

“This is not a rookie entering the sport. He has a long history of combat sports. So it’s a different scenario of what it used to be in the past.”

Sulaiman believes McGregor has ability as a boxer even though he faded down the stretch against Mayweather and was stopped.

“What we saw with Mayweather was of course different with the times, the rounds, it is not the same to fight five rounds to then go 12 rounds,” Sulaiman said. “But he has ability, he has power, he has status as a fighter. But to compete and become a world champion in the WBC, he would need to fight in boxing and by merit be ranked.

“Then he would be in the position to challenge. I don’t know what weight category he would be, but definitely he would need to get a decisive win against a quality opponent to be considered to be ranked.”

McGregor, 32, is focused on his MMA career at the moment – he is set to fight Dustin Poirier in UFC 257 on Jan. 23 – but he has said he would like to win a boxing title before he’s finished.

Of course, McGregor could end up fighting for the belt of a different governing body.

He and WBA welterweight titleholder Manny Pacquiao have expressed an interest in fighting one another, which presumably means that McGregor could go directly into a title fight if Pacquiao remains champion and the fight is sanctioned when they meet.

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