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Pacquiao-McGregor fight being eyed for 2021, says Pacquiao aide

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ABS-CBN News

<h3>But promoter says deal &#x27;long way to go&#x27;</h3><p><strong>(2ND UPDATE)</strong> A deal that would pit Manny Pacquiao and Irish mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor in a boxing bout is being worked out, Pacquiao&#x27;s camp announced on Saturday.</p><p>According to Jake Joson, special assistant to Pacquiao, the event could be held in the Middle East next year, with the earnings going to COVID-19 mitigation and treatment efforts in the Philippines.</p><p>&quot;It is confirmed the negotiation between the camp of Senator Pacquiao and McGregor is now starting to move on,&quot; Joson said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;Our beloved Senator doesn’t want to talk about boxing since we are in the middle of the pandemic and this is not the right time for it.</p><p>&quot;His main focus right now is to help here and there, providing relief, shelter, money and food, among other necessities.&quot;</p><p>Sean Gibbons, president of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, told Agence France-Presse in an email a fight between the eight-division world champion and McGregor would be a &quot;tremendous global event.&quot;</p><p>Pacquiao, 41, has not fought since claiming the WBA welterweight crown with a stunning victory over Keith Thurman in Las Vegas in July last year.</p><p>A bout against McGregor, who fought welterweight king <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/16/17/boxing-mayweather-mcgregor-fight-second-richest-ever">Floyd Mayweather</a> in a money-spinning 2017 fight, would guarantee Pacquiao another lucrative payday.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/19/20/analysis-could-mcgregor-be-pacquiaos-key-to-mayweather-rematch">ANALYSIS: Could McGregor be Pacquiao’s key to Mayweather rematch?</a></li></ul><p>Buzz surrounding a Pacquiao-McGregor face-off has been brewing for months now, and McGregor added fuel to that Friday with a tweet.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anyway all water under the bridge who gives a fook.<br/>I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East.</p>— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1309560270453342209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2020</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Last month, McGregor also posted a <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/01/20/tinatanggap-ko-mcgregor-teases-pacquiao-fight-fans-on-possible-fight">cryptic tweet</a>, hinting that such a fight was underway.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">tinatanggap ko</p>— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1289317207160233984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2020</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>&quot;Regarding the news coming from McGregor himself, we don’t deny it,&quot; Pacquiao&#x27;s statement read.</p><p>&quot;In fact, our lawyers are finalizing all the confidential details, but both fighters are getting ready for this one epic last boxing fight.</p><p>&quot;According to Paradigm Sports Management head Audie Attar, the fight may happen in the Middle East next year.&quot;</p><p>Pacquiao has successfully combined a political career in the Philippines, where he is an elected senator, while continuing to box at the highest level.</p><p>Gibbons said that the two camps were a &quot;long way&quot; from agreeing a fight, but confirmed &quot;it is (definitely) one of the fights being considered for the Senator&#x27;s return in 2020.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The idea has been brought up on a few occasions for Senator Pacquiao and Conor McGregor to fight,&quot; Gibbons said, adding that McGregor had shown in his fight with Mayweather he was capable of challenging &quot;the best boxers in the world.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/13/20/police-free-conor-mcgregor-after-indecent-exposure-complaint">Police free Conor McGregor after indecent exposure complaint</a></li></ul><p>Earlier Friday, McGregor, who has a long history of making outlandish claims on social media, had said on Twitter he was &quot;boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East.&quot;</p><p>&quot;It will be a true honour to have faced two of the greatest boxers of the modern era,&quot; he added.</p><p>In a report on ESPN, meanwhile, McGregor&#x27;s manager Audie Attar said serious talks about a Pacquiao fight were under way, with a possible December or January date in the Middle East under consideration. -- With a report from Agence France-Presse</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/08/20/mayweather-responds-to-mcgregors-retirement">Mayweather responds to McGregor&#x27;s retirement</a></li></ul>

<p>A bout against McGregor, who fought welterweight king Floyd Mayweather in a money-spinning 2017 fight, would guarantee Pacquiao another lucrative payday.</p>

A bout against McGregor, who fought welterweight king Floyd Mayweather in a money-spinning 2017 fight, would guarantee Pacquiao another lucrative payday.