It has been only three months since Conor McGregor made his latest “retirement” announcement, but the former UFC champion is already looking for another big pay day.
McGregor revealed in a series of tweets on Friday that he is planning for his next fight to be a boxing match with Manny Pacquiao. He didn’t provide any details but claimed the fight will take place in the Middle East.
The big news from McGregor came after he shared some direct messages between him and UFC president Dana White that show McGregor was trying to push for a fight earlier this year. He said the reports about him turning down a fight against Tony Ferguson were inaccurate and that he wanted to headline his own event rather than being an alternate. White seemed willing to work something out, but it never came to fruition. Beware that some of the messages contain inappropriate language.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 25, 2020
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 pic.twitter.com/jXQD2dTWrL— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) September 25, 2020
“I was pushing hard for the season,” McGregor wrote. “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 (expletive). I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East.”
McGregor announced his retirement roughly three months after the exchange he referenced with White. It’s possible he was frustrated that the two couldn’t work something out. McGregor, of course, has announced his retirement numerous times in the past several years and gone back on it.
McGregor had a professional boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in August 2017. It’s unclear if he’s planning something similar with Pacquiao, but there have been hints throughout the year that the two could eventually do something together.
