Fans believe Manny Pacquiao could soon face Conor McGregor in the ring, following the announcment of his boxing return.
Pacquiao is widely considered one of the greatest boxers to have competed in the sport, evidenced by his status as the only fighter in history to have won 12 titles in eight different weight classes. He called time on his career back in 2021 with a 62-8 professional record, losing what would have been his final bout to Yordenis Ugás.
In recent months, rumors suggested that ‘PacMan’ was planning on making a return to the squared circle against McGregor. The Irishman previously faced off against Pacquiao’s former rival Floyd Mayweather in 2017, with the pair going on to have the second most successful boxing fight in history, behind only Pacquiao vs. Mayweather.
Now, the latest news has suggested Pacquiao vs. McGregor may soon be on the cards, as the former boxing champ is set for a return bout against Buakaw Banchamek.
The news was confirmed by talkSPORT’s boxing editor Michael Benson. He tweeted:
“Announced: Manny Pacquiao, 45, will face Buakaw Banchamek, 41, in an exhibition fight on April 20th in Thailand.”
Fans have been reacting to the news, with one believing it could well be a tune-up fight for the Filipino fighter before facing McGregor:
“Looks like he’s likely to fight McGregor next year then”
Others have opted to criticize the bout for having 2-minute breaks between rounds:
“2 minute break! The crowd will be having a great time”
Check out more reactions here:
More fan reactions
Conor McGregor calls out Manny Pacquiao
Conor McGregor recently launched a fierce callout of Manny Pacquiao amid the ongoing legal battle between the pair.
McGregor was cageside for the recent ‘Day of Reckoning’ boxing card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and was asked about his potential next fight by iFL TV. The Irishman then pulled no punches in demanding a bout against the 45-year-old, wanting a boxing showdown against him in 2024:
“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.”
Catch McGregor’s comments here (0:45):
