It looks like we may be in store for another boxing matchup involving Conor McGregor.
McGregor recently revealed his DMs with UFC president Dana White asking to fight Justin Gaethje or Diego Sanchez earlier this year. Of course, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic happened later which halted McGregor’s plans for an active season and ultimately led to yet another retirement.
However, the Irishman would go on to tweet that a boxing match with Manny Pacquiao was next for him. That appears to be the case according to Pacquiao’s team who revealed negotiations are ongoing.
“It is confirmed the negotiation between the camp of Senator Pacquiao and McGregor is now starting to move on,” Pacquiao’s assistant Jayke Joson said in a statement to ESPN. “Again, as what our senator says, all his fights are dedicated for the welfare and unity of all Filipinos including this one.
“For the sake of all the Filipino Covid-19 victims, Senator Manny Pacquiao will be fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor next year. The huge portion of his earnings will proceed to those who are affected nationwide by the pandemic.”
McGregor Unsurprisingly A Massive Underdog
Unsurprisingly, McGregor is already a massive underdog according to some oddsmakers.
Sports Betting websites have Pacquiao as a -1200 favorite while McGregor is a +700 underdog. That means you would have to bet $1200 to earn a profit of $100 on a Pacquiao win while a $100 bet on a McGregor win would earn you $700 in profit.
McGregor made his boxing debut in 2017 when he fought Floyd Mayweather and was eventually TKO’d in the 10th round. Even if some observers felt he did well in his debut, the chances are he will always be losing, especially if he’s going to face a former eight-division champion next in Pacquiao.
That said, those who believe there’s an upset in store will certainly like those odds on McGregor.