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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 20: Manny Pacquiao celebrates his split-decision victory over Keith Thurman in their WBA welterweight title fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 20, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 20: Manny Pacquiao celebrates his split-decision victory over Keith Thurman in their WBA welterweight title fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 20, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The fight business is a high-risk, high reward one. Fighters that take the most risk are more often than not the ones that receive the most reward. Conor McGregor has built his career on taking extremely risky fights. Sometimes the results go in his favor and he has the world at his feet. On other occasions, it does not go as planned.
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UFC 257 is the perfect example of the same. ‘The Notorious’ returned after a one-year lay-off to take on Dustin Poirier. Although he predicted a ‘60-second’ knockout, it did not go as planned as he was stopped in his UFC career for the first time in the second round of the fight.
In the build-up to UFC 257, ‘The Notorious’ stated that a fight between him and Pacquiao was imminent in 2021. Both men are signed under Paradigm Sports Management, so it would have been an easy process to get the fight done. Conor even admitted that the talks were in ‘advanced stages’.
A win for Conor at UFC 257 would have all but sealed the deal for another boxing match.
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Is Conor McGregor vs Manny Pacquiao a pipe dream now?
In an interview with SunSport, Sean Gibbons, the President of Manny Pacquiao promotions, shared his thoughts about a potential fight.
He said, “It looked like Conor looked past Dustin and got knocked out. Maybe he had the Senator on his mind. I think the demand for the fight is not there presently. Conor has some business to clean up and handle in the UFC. It’s a bummer, it could have been fun for as long as it lasted.”
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 20: Manny Pacquiao blows a kiss to the crowd as he celebrates his split-decision victory over Keith Thurman in their WBA welterweight title fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 20, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
‘Pac-Man’ last fought in 2019 when he beat Keith Thurman to win the WBA super welterweight title. A fight with Conor McGregor would have been huge for both men. But after the loss, it looks as though ‘Pac-Man’ is all but set to face up-and-coming talent Ryan Garcia.
If Conor is able to bounce back and secure a few wins a potential fight with Manny might be possible in the future. However, at the moment it does not look like ‘The Notorious’ will step into a boxing ring anytime soon.