Although Conor McGregor recently announced his retirement from the UFC on June 6, 2020, he has posted on all social media platforms that he will be coming out of retirement to box Manny Pacquiao in the early months of 2021. The interesting thing is that both fighters have faced Floyd Mayweather and given him a tough fight. The only way to compare the fighters and to have any knowledge on who would win, would be to compare the fights between them both to Mayweather.
In late August of 2017, McGregor fought Mayweather and lasted nearly ten rounds in his boxing debut. McGregor landed 111 shots on Mayweather, but he was out of energy by round eight, which caused him to lose by technical knockout.
“I did a phenomenal job for my debut match against the 29-year, five-division champion,” McGregor said in a post fight interview,
Since then, McGregor has gained over 22 lbs.of lean muscle, has trained extremely hard and has knocked out Donald Cerrone on Jan.18, 2020. Winning by knockout, the fight between both welterweights lasted 40 seconds, as McGregor had to jump up two weight classes to fight.
On the other hand, Manny Pacquiao is a natural boxing champion, having won 62 of his 71 fights. Pacquiao lasted an astonishing 12 rounds with Mayweather, and the decision was based on the score cards (118-110). Pacquiao intended to be the aggressor, and Mayweather had an amazing strategy of defending and countering. Pacquiao lasted the full 12 rounds with a hurt shoulder, but he lost to Mayweather due to landing only 81 punches. Mayweather ended the night with 118 punches landed, which resulted in a win.
McGregor has fought one time for the UFC and once in the boxing arena over the last three years. In the same amount of time, Pacquiao has fought six times, which could be a huge advantage. McGregor has made many comments about striking Pacquaio as if it were a UFC fight, which would lead to disqualification and leave Pacquaio victorious.
The contract will be signed soon, all depending on the pandemic caused by COVID-19. The press conferences are to be determined and could be postponed to a later date in 2021.
