Pacquiao has ‘no interest’ in fighting McGregor
Freddie Roach isn’t expecting to see Manny Pacquiao vs. Conor McGregor any time soon.
Manny Pacquiao is currently preparing to face Errol Spence Jr. on August 21. The fight is going ahead despite an injunction filed by Paradigm Sports Management, the same company that represents Conor McGregor.
Paradigm’s objection to the fight stems from their allegation that, after signing with them, Pacquiao broke the terms of their agreement. When Paradigm and Pacquiao announced their partnership in 2020, both sides talked up a potential bout between the Philippine megastar and McGregor.
However, since then their relationship has broken down and both sides have accused the other of breaking promises.
With that relationship ending the chances of Pacquiao vs. McGregor seems to have gone up in smoke.
Further evidence of this was offered by Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach. When speaking to The U.S. Sun the veteran coach made it clear that Pacquiao is looking at bigger and better opportunities than the former UFC champ.
“Manny does not have any interest in fighting an MMA fighter,” said Roach. “He wants to fight the best fighters out there.”
“If he [Pacquiao] can’t be at that level at boxing, then he doesn’t want to be boxing,” he continued. “He will retire and hopefully become president of his country.
“If there is another fight after this it’s not going to be McGregor, it’s going to be one of the best guys out there.
“It’s not going to be a guy from another sport. Manny and Georges St-Pierre are friends and so forth but the sports just do not match up well together.
“I want to see good boxing and that’s what you get from Manny Pacquiao. He’s always fought the best out there.”
Pacquiao’s last appearance in the ring was a split decision win over Keith Thurman in July, 2019. Prior to that the 42-year-old beat Adrien Broner and Lucas Matthysse.
Those wins came after a surprise loss to Jeff Horn in 2017.
McGregor’s lone boxing contest was his 2017 bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr, which resulted in a TKO loss to the Irishman.