Conor McGregor recently dropped a major bombshell regarding his prospective showdown against Michael Chandler. Amidst speculations surrounding the Irishman’s comeback fight, McGregor graced ‘The Day of Reckoning’ boxing event at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event was co-headlined by heavyweight sensations Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder, who competed in separate bouts.
Speaking to iFL TV ringside, the former UFC two-division champion addressed the highly anticipated question regarding his next opponent. ‘The Notorious,’ who has been inactive since July 2021, asserts that he’s patiently awaiting the UFC to finalize a matchup while numerous options are being presented to him.
McGregor dropped a bombshell by mentioning boxing legend Manny Pacquiao as a potential adversary, even daring him to step up in weight for a clash with the Irishman. McGregor stated:
“They’re naming opponents now. How about me vs. Manny here in Saudi? How does that sound to you? Wouldn’t you think Manny should have to come up in weight, considering it’s his sport? Would you think that’s what a man would do vs. what a mouse would do? Manny already owes me $8 million via the court of law. He was signed to my management company and didn’t honor his deal. So fight at my weight and I’ll square that bill away.”
Earlier this year, Conor McGregor was entangled in a legal dispute with Manny Pacquiao, asserting that he is allegedly owed $8 million as part of a contentious fighting deal gone awry. The disagreement stems from a two-fight agreement between their respective promotions. Pacquiao’s side allegedly failed to uphold their end of the bargain, prompting McGregor’s promotion to initiate legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, McGregor was reportedly set to make his octagon return against Michael Chandler, whom he coached against earlier this year on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter. However, the specific date for their upcoming bout has not been disclosed yet. ‘The Notorious’ has been sidelined from action since he suffered a horrific leg break in his third fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
Despite a plethora of options presented to him, McGregor expresses frustration over the lack of communication from the UFC regarding a fight date. In a recent revelation, McGregor discloses that discussions with Saudi representatives have been more fruitful than those with the UFC.
Catch McGregor’s comments below (0:45):
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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar