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UFC superstar Conor McGregor announced his comeback via social media on Friday, and it appears the Irishman expects to have two fights on the way. The 32-year-old gave a lengthy explanation about facing Diego Sanchez in his next UFC fight, then went on to say he plans to return to the boxing ring to face superstar Manny Pacquiao.
McGregor is back, and he’s apparently ready to rumble as both a UFC fighter and a boxer.
McGregor vs. Sanchez
It all started with McGregor posting a public message to Sanchez via social media saying he saw the welterweight’s recent request for one final fight against McGregor, and that the Irishman was accepting that challenge.
“I seen your recent comments about your final bout and I am in!” McGregor posted. “After you fought Pereira, I had requested for myself and you to compete in Dublin. This was back in February when I was working on opposition for my season, pre covid. Good luck this weekend!”
To Diego Sanchez…
I seen your recent comments about your final bout and I am in!
After you fought Pereira, I had requested for myself and you to compete in Dublin. This was back in February when I was working on opposition for my season, pre covid.
Good luck this weekend!
Alongside that message, McGregor shared screenshots of texts from his phone to prove messages had already been sent to and from UFC president Dana White about facing Sanchez as far back as February.
In those shared text messages, McGregor showed that he had already suggested to White that Sanchez should be his next opponent and that the fight could happen in Dublin.
According to the shared text messages, White shot the suggestion down, but McGregor’s message to Sanchez on Friday revealed he’s still down to make it happen.
Per MMA Fighting, Sanchez had talked about potentially facing McGregor earlier this week during a UFC 253 press event.
Now, Sanchez hopes to win his next fight against Jake Matthews at UFC 253 to potentially secure his dream fight.
McGregor vs. Pacquiao
But McGregor also stated that he had agreed to another massive crossover boxing match against one of the best boxing champions of the era.
McGregor posted, “I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East.”
Anyway all water under the bridge who gives a fook.
I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East.
McGregor was stopped in the 10th round by Floyd Mayweather Jr. back in August 2017 in the second-biggest boxing pay-per-view event in history.
But McGregor made more money in that fight than any of his UFC fights, so many believed the fighter would be headed back to the boxing world at least one more time.
Earlier this week, White told BT Sport that the UFC would be announcing something big in regards to boxing in just a matter of weeks.
By Friday of the same week, McGregor had stunned the world by saying he’s facing Pacquiao next in a boxing match.
Monday:
Dana White comes on #TheBTSportBoxingShow to say he will make a big boxing announcement within a few weeks.
Friday:
Conor McGregor says he’s fighting Manny Pacquiao next.
👀
According to McGregor, McGregor vs. Pacquiao is officially on for next year.
However, ESPN’s Ariel Helwani reported something a little different.
Per Helwani, “McGregor is in serious talks to fight boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, but the bout isn’t a done deal yet, McGregor’s manager, Audie Attar, told ESPN on Friday.”
Still, McGregor is confident the fight against Pacquiao is going to happen.
According to The Guardian, Pacquiao’s team feels the same way.
Pacquiao’s office told that same media outlet that the boxing legend intends to face McGregor in the ring next year and that a “huge portion” of Pacquiao’s proceeds from the event would go to coronavirus victims in the Philippines.
McGregor posted, “It will be a true honour to have faced two of the greatest boxers of the modern era, afraid of a fight.”
It will be a true honour to have faced two of the greatest boxers of the modern era, afraid of a fight.
Pacquiao, 41, is the only boxing champion in history to win at least one world title in eight different weight classes.
Additionally, Pacquiao currently holds the WBA welterweight title, though it’s important to note that boxing’s welterweight division is capped at 147 pounds whereas the UFC’s welterweight division is limited to 170.
Regardless, McGregor vs. Pacquiao is a massive superfight by any measure. It features two of the three biggest celebrities in the combat sports world and should sell tons of pay-per-views across the globe.
After all, the best-selling boxing pay-per-view event in history was Pacquaio’s decision loss to Mayweather back in 2015.
McGregor Seems To Be Planning 2 Megafights
So now it appears McGregor has officially unretired and that he believes at least two megafights could be on the way.
McGregor said he was ready and willing to face Sanchez in a UFC fight and that he had agreed to a boxing match against Pacquiao.
While it was a bit unclear about which of those fights would happen first, most pundits seem to believe that the way McGregor worded things on social media indicated he would be facing Pacquiao next in a boxing match.
Regardless, one of the world’s most popular UFC superstars is officially back, and he’s made it clear he wants fights in both worlds: MMA and boxing.
Read All McGregor’s Tweets
You can read all of McGregor’s tweets, including his massive comeback plans as well as all the text messages he shared between him and White, below.
To Diego Sanchez…
I seen your recent comments about your final bout and I am in!
After you fought Pereira, I had requested for myself and you to compete in Dublin. This was back in February when I was working on opposition for my season, pre covid.
Good luck this weekend!
3 weeks post my last record breaking event, I was campaigning for another blockbuster McGregor event to take place.
Sad about my season I must say 😔
Here’s the finish of that exchange. Pre covid. Pre retirement.
Never turned down offer of Tony as was suggested at the time. I stated months in advance (early February) that I was not interested in being an alternate for two consistent pullouts.
Pushed for my own scheduled bouts
I was pushing hard for the season.
Multiple opponents, multiple dates offered throughout. All to take place back to back.
Then when covid hit and the talk was that I would have to wait for crowds again, I walked away from the situation. I was waiting long enough at that stage.
Anyway all water under the bridge who gives a fook.
I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East.
It will be a true honour to have faced two of the greatest boxers of the modern era, afraid of a fight.
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