McGregor: Talks with Pacquiao are ‘intensifying,’ fight could happen in 2021

Conor McGregor gives an update on the already hyped boxing match with Manny Pacquiao.

Conor McGregor is determined to move forward with his planned high-profile boxing match with Manny Pacquiao. As he told “Big John” McCarthy and Josh Thomson in a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast, negotiations are continuously picking up.

“That is certainly how the southpaw bout came about with Dustin,” McGregor said. “And that, also, he’s number one in the rankings, I believe. He’s right atop the division. So, it makes sense to go back. But I certainly prepared for a good southpaw, and Manny is in the wings, waiting.

“I know those talks are intensifying, and I believe, sometime this year, maybe late this year, that bout will take place. And really, it will be on the discussions with the UFC where we go with this, what’s next.”

In September, it was Pacquiao’s assistant who spoke on the Filipino icon’s behalf, confirming the McGregor bout. But in December, it was “Pacman” himself who stated that he wants his next fight against “The Notorious,” even with two other opponent options in Errol Spence and Terrence Crawford.

“I want to experience a fight with an MMA fighter,” Sen. Pacquiao told ABS-CBN News.

From the UFC’s end, president Dana White doesn’t seem too excited about the said fight. He’d rather have McGregor face Khabib Nurmagomedov in a rematch, should he successfully strong-arm the undefeated Dagestani into coming out of retirement.