Boxing: Manny Pacquiao to fight UFC's Conor McGregor in Middle East next year

Dubai: The UAE or Saudia Arabia looks the likely venue for the next big blockbuster fight. Philippines boxing hero Manny Pacquiao is set to fight Irish mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor in the ring next year, an official for the Philippines fighter-turned-politician said in a statement on Saturday.

“For the sake of all the Filipino COVID-19 victims, Senator Manny Pacquiao will be fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor next year,” Pacquiao’s special assistant Jayke Joson said, adding negotiations are ongoing. Pacquiao would donate a portion of his prize earnings to Filipino victims of the pandemic, Joson added.

McGregor seemed to confirm the fight will be in the Middle East.

“I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East. It will be a true honour to have faced two of the greatest boxers of the modern era,” he tweeted referring to his earlier bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The Irish two-weight UFC world champion donned the boxing gloves to fight American Mayweather in 2017, losing to a TKO in the 10th round, but reportedly pocketing more than $100 million. Mayweather extended his professional boxing streak to 50 victories and 0 defeats.