Pacquiao Tells McGregor He Has Nine Months To Make A Fight

Manny Pacquiao still wants to fight Conor McGregor in a boxing match. 

Pacman’s last pro fight ended in a loss to Yordenis Ugas in 2021 as he retired from the sport. He has had one exhibition since then, beating DK Yoo via a unanimous decision. The Filipino is now back in training with a view to getting another fight. A fight with McGregor had been teased in Saudi Arabia. That all depends on McGregor’s future with the UFC. Reports indicate he has 1-2 fights left on his UFC deal.

The Irishman could only take up a boxing bout if the UFC allowed it or if McGregor became a free agent. They allowed the Irishman to box Floyd Mayweather in 2017, showing that it could be done for the right fights. McGregor is currently preparing to fight Michael Chandler on June 29.

This is his first fight since 2021, when he lost to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. There are still reservations over how he will look on his comeback. If McGregor comes out with a win, it could increase the momentum for a fight. Pacman was ready to face someone within the next nine months. 

Pacquaio vs. McGregor

“It was always really a great dream for him and Conor McGregor, but Conor’s got so much UFC business or whatever. Manny’s got about nine months left because he’s going to run for office again, so he’s still actively looking for something,” Pacman’s promoter Sean Gibbons

An alternative is a fight with Conor Benn. The two had a face-off in Saudi this year. But Benn’s legal issues following his two failed VADA tests for Clomiphene have clouded his future. He can only box outside the UK until he clears his name with the British Boxing Board of Control.

While that would allow a fight in Saudi Arabia, does the Kingdom want to risk the backlash that could follow by hosting such an event? There is also a moral argument over whether Benn should be rewarded with a lucrative fight until he is fully cleared. But if the situation is resolved, Benn could be an option. 

Pacquaio vs. Benn

“We got bad luck. You saw the hype, the build-up, everybody was excited, all sides wanted to do it, but unfortunately losing the appeal cost the fight. Conor Benn, they said he comes off suspension in September, there’s still an opportunity to do that. I always thought Kell Brook would have been fun. Conor Benn was the ideal fight because it would have been competitive,” Gibbons added

Pacman has nothing left to prove in the sport. He is an eight-division champion who will go down in history. While he did lose in the biggest fight of his career against Floyd Mayweather, he lost to an all-time great. The Filipino did announce a rematch with Mayweather at a RIZN 45 event last year. So far, there is nothing to indicate this will happen, given the absence of an announcement from Mayweather. So Pacman has plenty to consider moving forward.