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Is Conor McGregor Boxing’s Jumpoff?

Posted byBy Rhett Butler | Published on: | Updated on October 3, 2020 CommentsComments (0)

Well, that was predictable.

“The Notorious” Conor McGregor, who earlier this year announced his retirement from the UFC, recently revealed his plans to fight Manny Pacquiao in a boxing match in the Middle East.

Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world champion and current senator in the Philippines, also wants the bout. His goal is to use the revenue to help many of his countrymen that were affected by the coronavirus.

This is typical for Pacquiao who has been fervent in his charitable acts for his country’s body politic.

The payday would be massive as McGregor, although he is only 0-1 as a boxer, is still an otherworldly draw in combat sports. His 2017 fight against Floyd Mayweather still stands as the second highest-grossing pay-per-view in boxing history.

You know what is number one: Mayweather vs. Pacquiao.

That is what makes the bout so alluring for the Pinoy senator because it can’t be the challenge of which McGregor has proven he poses little in the sport of boxing.

Which begs the question: in boxing is Conor McGregor relegated now to a superstar’s financial jump off?

Respectfully

Conor McGregor took the UFC to new heights on his meteoric rise.

From classic finishes over the feared Jose Aldo and Eddie Alvarez to become the UFCs first double champ, the Irishman knows how to impress.

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Even in his losses, he knows how to sell tickets with his losing fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov standing as one of the highest-grossing MMA events in history.

When he fought Floyd Mayweather, his height and apparent lack of fear swayed many to his side, believing that he could be the lone man to tarnish Mayweather’s pristine professional boxing record.

He had the whole country of Ireland behind him and with him physically in Las Vegas on August 26th, 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena.

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However, after 10 rounds, referee Robert Byrd waved off the contest having seen enough. For McGregor stans, the fact that he made it two rounds shy of a decision loss was victory enough.

But for boxing die-hards, it was yet another indication that Mayweather would trade boxing purity for financial solvency.

It made McGregor the richest MMA fighter in history. With the pay structure of the MMA business still set at a show-up fee and win bonus, with additional potential bonuses for Fight, KO, and Submission of the night,

McGregor showed MMA fighters how to step to the next level.

Now he is hellbent on staying there but is it at the cost of his reputation?

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Pac-Man Pimpin’

It is a certainty that Manny Pacquiao defeats Conor McGregor. He doesn’t even have a Jeff Horn’s chance of defeating him but the allure of the fight is too tempting not to watch.

For Pacquiao, it is an enormous payday as he mulls his future in the squared circle.

WBA welterweight champion has an interest in facing UFC superstar Conor McGregor – but only under certain terms.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the 41-year-old is not going to fight until 2021 and has been out of the ring since July of 2019.

In his last bout, he won a twelve round decision over Keith Thurman to capture the WBA title.

According to Pacquiao, the fight would have to be his way, as a co-promotional bout under his banner, MP Promotions.

Although he was once seemingly connected to McGregor’s management company, Paradigm Sports Management, he recently announced that he is independent and has formed his own management company, Pac Sports and Entertainment.

“At present, I do not have an existing management contract with Paradigm Sports Management. I have formed my own company, Pac Sports and Entertainment, and am more than willing to give the fans what they want: An exciting fight with Conor McGregor under terms and conditions where I am the co-promoter with my company. Thank you and God bless,” Pacquiao told The Daily Mail.

Pacquiao saw how Mayweather left Bob Arum’s Top Rank and created a powerhouse in Mayweather Promotions off his hard work and dedication.

Although a little late, Pacquaio knows about against McGregor on his terms would be lucrative and lopsided.

Even Pacquiao’s long-time trainer Freddie Roach feels the fight is already won.

“If this [fight] is true, Pacquiao will have an easier time with you McGregor than when he fought Ricky Hatton [who was knocked out in two rounds in 2009],” Roach said according to Boxing Scene.

If the fight gets made and McGregor stays true to his retirement from MMA, it can be said that he would rather be a boxing sideshow for riches than a legitimate MMA fighter.

He recently revealed that he wanted to fight Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez and that UFC President Dana White was vehemently against it; for good reason too.

Sanchez is 30-13 with his last fight a loss at UFC 253 in Abu Dhabi last weekend. The 38-year-old is weather-beaten from the game and aside from the hype value would not be a legitimate matchup in the eyes of an athletic commission.

With a Khabib rematch not being sought or a Justin Gaethje bout being petitioned, it is pretty clear that McGregor is only in it for the bag now and not the glory of gamesmanship.

Although Pacquiao is 9 years older than McGregor, he is a boxing savant and ring workaholic. It is an athletic lose-lose for McGregor.

But in the big-money enterprise of it all, it is safe to say that Conor McGregor is leveraging his label as “The Notorious” to be a springboard for aging yet popular legends to get an enormous jump off payment before they hit the road.

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