38-year old Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao has reportedly reached out to UFC champion Conor McGregor about a potential boxing match in April of next year. Pacquiao hasn't fought since July, after he surrendered his WBO welterweight title to Jeff Horn, in a controversial decision in Australia, but is considering a return to the sport in 2018.
According to ESPN's Brett Okamoto,
Pacquiao told AFP that a fight between him and McGregor would be "OK with both of us." That said, Pacquiao indicated talks have not progressed very far at this point.
"Initially, but we have not yet had any follow-ups," said Pacquiao, when asked if there has been communication between the two camps.
"It depends who they can finalize as my opponent by April."
While Pacquiao says both he and McGregor would be OK with a fight, UFC President Dana White has a much different take on these rumors.
White has threatened to sue if Pacquiao continues to push for a fight with the biggest name in UFC, because Conor McGregor is still under an exclusive UFC contract.
"That would be weird, because (McGregor's) under contract with us," White told ESPN. "If that's true, I will be suing Manny Pacquiao and whoever's representing him. So, I'm assuming that's not true."
McGregor has not fought since his loss to Floyd Mayweather, by way of a 10th round TKO, back in August. At this point it's unclear whether his next fight will be in the boxing right or inside the octagon.
In fact, thanks to the enormous amount of money McGregor made of the Mayweather fight, Dana White says it's reasonable to believe that he may not want to fight ever again. Although, it's hard to believe the 29-year old fighter is truly ready to hang up his gloves for good.
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