The numbers around celebrity boxing have started to feel unreal. Records are no longer broken on razor-thin margins but completely shattered by generational clashes when nostalgia meets new fame. Jake Paul‘s use of Mike Tyson‘s legendary reputation to attract 108 million Netflix viewers was more than just a success; it changed expectations for what “big” means in combat sports.

However, even that number does not feel permanent. As streaming changes how fights are consumed, the focus has switched from what just happened to what may possibly top it. And, according to Sean O’Malley, there is still one name capable of drawing everyone back in, no matter how much time passes. And that one man is none other than Conor McGregor.

Sean O’Malley sees Conor McGregor as the ultimate ratings weapon

The idea came up casually on Sean O’Malley’s YouTube channel, but it stuck. Tim Welch provided the figures: Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua garnered 33 million live viewers, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford surpassed 41 million, and Paul vs. Mike Tyson hit over 108 million.

Welch believed that the ceiling was impenetrable until something extreme happened. “That’ll never be touched unless he fights someone like Tyson Fury in MMA or something,” he stated. However, ‘Suga’ disagreed with confidence. “There are going to be bigger people nowadays,” he stated, referring to how quickly stars emerge and how celebrity boxing grows.

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Then he came upon a scenario that made sense to him: an older Conor McGregor returning to face a younger, more relevant opponent. Not peak Conor McGregor, but a long-retired version of ‘The Notorious.’ The kind of Mike Tyson-esque comeback that stops timelines.

Sean O’Malley explained that the appeal isn’t just the Irishman’s fame. It’s about timing. When Conor McGregor reaches the stage that ‘The Dynamite Kid’ did, as he gets older, reflective, and selective, fans will not be tuning in solely for skill. They’ll be watching for closure, curiosity, and chaos.

An idea that Tim Welch summed up perfectly further in the video: Mike Tyson drew in the older generation, while Jake Paul drew in the kids. So, Conor McGregor could bridge both again. However, all this remains just a theory for now, as McGregor isn’t chasing that version of himself just yet. At 37, his focus remains stubbornly competitive.

The Irishman is currently seeking Islam Makhachev and a historic third UFC belt, presenting it as a business rather than a rivalry. Reality, of course, complicates that goal. He has not fought since 2021; therefore, an immediate title shot is unlikely to be handed. However, there is one fight that will get him the relevance he seeks while also threatening the 108 million views Netflix already achieved.

Former super-middleweight world champion wants a McGregor vs. Jake Paul fight

Former super-middleweight world champion George Groves feels Jake Paul’s next step will be based on scale rather than belts, rankings, or legitimacy. And, in his opinion, there’s only one name powerful enough to bring ‘The Problem Child’ back while also breaking records that seem untouchable right now. The 37-year-old framed it bluntly: Jake Paul doesn’t need championships; he just needs prominent opponents.

“Conor McGregor is the biggest name in mixed martial arts,” he told BetVictor Casino, suggesting that Paul’s inadequate boxing fundamentals would be irrelevant in a spectacle-driven match. He even proposed hybrid rules, such as boxing early, wrestling later, and possibly bare-knuckle chaos in the final act, designed for fans rather than purists.

His pick for the win: Jake Paul. Because after facing Anthony Joshua, nothing can scare the YouTuber-turned-boxer anymore. The only complication that remains is that Conor McGregor is seeking sporting relevance, not novelty, and his focus remains on the UFC. But the crossover appeal is clear.

A McGregor-Paul bout would not only threaten Netflix’s 108 million feat, but it would also change the way combat sports moments are made. It’s unclear whether ‘The Notorious’ will ever take the call. For the time being, it exists somewhere between ambition and temptation, waiting to see which version of Conor McGregor shows up first.