Conor McGregor: Manny Pacquiao Fight Was ‘As Good As Done’ Before UFC 257
MMA superstar Conor McGregor has revealed that a fight between him and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao was “as good as done” prior to his upset loss at UFC 257.
McGregor faced off against Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi this past weekend. The Irishman holds a first-round knockout win over Poirier from 2014 but things went wrong for McGregor a the start of 2021. ‘
‘Notorious’ ultimately fell to a second-round TKO loss, a result which appears to have scuppered plans for a mega money cross over fight with Pacquiao.
“It’s hard to take. The highest highs and the lowest lows in this game,” McGregor said in his post-fight press conference. “My leg is completely dead. Even though I felt like I was checking them, it was just sinking into the muscle at the front of the leg and it was badly compromised.”
McGregor was unsure about what is next for him but insisted had he beaten Poirier, a fight with Pacquiao was virtually done.
“There are no damn leg kicks in boxing, you know what I mean? I always did want to focus on my MMA career, but I’m also open. I’ll just see what happens. I don’t know what will happen. That Manny [Pacquiao] fight was happening. It was as good as done. I just want to get in there and get back into a bounce, especially against that style of fighter, and not take those kicks. Not play with those kicks. It’s just a motherf—er to take. That’s my mind going.” (Transcribed by Boxing Scene)
Pacquiao took to social media immediately after UFC 257 to congratulate Poirier on his win.
“Beautiful thing about the fight game, anything can happen,” Pacquiao wrote. “Congrats to Dustin Poirier. Huge win!”
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