Conor McGregor 'boxing Manny Pacquiao next' in Middle East

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Mayweather and McGregorImage source, Reuters
Image caption,

Conor McGregor's 2017 fight with Floyd Mayweather was one of the richest bouts in boxing history

Conor McGregor says he is coming out of retirement for a boxing fight with Manny Pacquiao in the Middle East.

The former two-weight UFC champion, 32, retired from fighting in June - for the third time in four years.

He returned to face Floyd Mayweather in his first professional boxing match in 2017 and now says he will meet eight-weight world champion Pacquiao, 41.

"It will be a true honour to have faced two of the greatest boxers of the modern era," the Irishman tweeted., external

Earlier on Thursday, McGregor posted a video on Instagram, external of himself shadow boxing in a ring.

McGregor's last fight was a win over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in January, which gave him a 22-4 record in mixed martial arts.

Filipino Pacquiao last stepped into the ring in July 2019, beating Keith Thurman to take his boxing record to 62-7, with two draws.

McGregor was stopped by former five-weight world champion Mayweather in the 10th round of one of the richest bouts in boxing history in August 2017.

The Las Vegas fight generated more than £450m through 4.3m pay-per-view buys in North America, second only to Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao's 4.6m in 2015.

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