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Conor McGregor is no longer any good in UFC, but could still beat Manny Pacquiao in boxing, George Foreman says

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Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor

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Conor McGregor isn't any good in the UFC anymore, but he could still beat Manny Pacquiao in a boxing match.

That's according to George Foreman, a former heavyweight champion boxer who told The Irish Mirror recently that he'd prefer to see the former two-weight UFC champion focus solely on boxing, rather than mixed martial arts.

"I'd rather see him in boxing matches now," Foreman said.

McGregor, 32, has fought in pro boxing once before, losing by stoppage to Floyd Mayweather in the 10th round of their 2017 bout, a fight that turned out to be the second-best selling pay-per-view combat sports event of all time.

Mayweather retired after the win — the 50th in his unblemished career as a professional athlete.

McGregor, meanwhile, returned to the UFC but has experienced a mixed bag of results since. He lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission in 2018, rebounded with a 40-second win against Donald Cerrone in 2020, and then lost to Dustin Poirier by knockout last month.

The Irishman has now lost four of his last seven fights in all combat disciplines, and his next match is rumored to be a third installment of his rivalry with Poirier at some point this summer.

Regardless, talk of a crossover fight involving Pacquiao refuses to go away.

Pacquiao hasn't fought since a July 2019 decision win over Keith Thurman. He has ambitions, however, to compete in a couple more bouts before retiring and focusing full-time on his political career as a Senator in his native Philippines.

The veteran prizefighter even signed terms with Paradigm SM — the same talent agency that represents McGregor, advancing the probability that one day they will be matched up.

Earlier this year Pacquiao said he'd fight McGregor "right now."

But Foreman believes it's a fight Pacquiao would lose.

"If [McGregor] has a fight with Pacquiao he can actually beat him — good rules, over 10 rounds, McGregor can beat him.

"He's already adjusted to boxing, he's not going to do good in MMA anymore. Pacquiao is very good as a matter of fact, but McGregor can beat him in a boxing match."

McGregor must first return to winning ways so that he carries momentum and hype into another landmark boxing pay-per-view.

Following his stunning loss to Poirier, it appeared like Pacquiao had moved on.

"It looked like Conor looked past Dustin and got knocked out," MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons, a Pacquiao confidante, said.

"Maybe he had the Senator on his mind. I think the demand for the fight is not there presently."

SEE ALSO: POWER RANKED: The 15 best boxers in the world right now

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