Philippines, 08 Jun 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Pacquiao-McGregor Looks Certain But Will the WBA Allow, Sanction It?


PhilBoxing.com





As days passed by, it is becoming definitive that Manny Pacquiao is all in for a fight versus UFC star Conor McGregor being organized by a group somewhere in the Middle East.

Whether it will be an exhibition or a sanctioned boxing bout is still unclear.

Pacquiao was quoted recently that he wanted to experience fighting a mixed martial artist but in a boxing match as Floyd Mayweather, Jr. did back in 2018 against the same McGregor.

The Floyd-McGregor fight attracted 4.3 million pay per views and generated hundreds millions of dollars making it the second highest grossing boxing match in history, next only to the Floyd-Pacquiao fight in 2015.

According to Wiki, Mayweather reportedly earned $280 million and McGregor $130 million, substantially more than their guaranteed $100 million and $30 million, respectively.

Obviously, the expected financial bonanza is also one of the main interests of Pacquiao in committing himself to this fight.

But there are differences in the case of Floyd and Manny vis a vis McGregor.

Mayweather who had retired in late 2015 had chosen McGregor as his supposed comeback fight. He was so convincing in his so called second unretirement that both the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the World Boxing Commission sanctioned the fight as official boxing match.

But in the fight aftermath, after scooping much of the take, Floyd retired from boxing once again while McGregor returned to mixed martial arts.

This drew criticism from fans and experts alike that the fight was a sham and no more than a money grab.

Pacquiao is an active boxer who holds a major world title as the WBA welterweight super champion. He won the crown from American Keith Thurman in July 2019 but has not seen action since being involved in possible unification and later encumbered as he was like most boxers by the Covid 19 pandemic.

There appears to be no problem as to who will host and bankroll the Pacquiao-McGregor fight but the question is, will it be an exhibition or a sanctioned boxing match? If it will be a regular boxing bout, who will sanction it?

The most important question is, will the WBA stand out of the way and allow Pacquiao to participate in such match?

Remember that the WBA designated Pacquiao to challenge for its regular belt against then reigning and defending Argentine champion Lucas Matthyse in 2018. Winning the title, the WBA sanctioned Pacquiao's defense of the same title against American challenger Adrien Broner in early 2019.

The WBA then ordered its comebacking super champion Thurman to defend his belt against Pacquiao in a fight in July 2019 which Manny won, thus becoming the organization's super champion.

As stated, the WBA has not obligated Pacquiao to defend his title since July 2019 in view of the possibility of Manny being involved in any unification against WBC-IBF champion Errol Spence or WBO titlist Terrence Crawford.

A Pacquiao-Crawford unification fight was reportedly in the works for mid 2020 until the Covid 19 pandemic got in the way.

Pacquiao has not committed himself to any new title unification initiatives nor planned to defend his title against any challenger pending the designation of WBA of one which the WBA has not done---yet.

The question therefore is, will the WBA adopt a hands off policy and allow Pacquiao to fight McGregor first before obliging him to either unify or make a title defense?

Or will the WBA oblige Pacquiao to make a long overdue first title defense of its super belt against either its regular titlist, Cuban Yordenis Ugas, interim titlist Mexican Vergil Ortiz or top rated contenders, Americans Jamal James or Mikey Garcia? With the threat of stripping the super belt from him in failing to do so.

Or will the WBA sanction the Pacquiao-McGregor fight as a regular non title bout to gain at least from it by way of a sanction fee?

The WBA as a factor in this planned Pacquaio-McGregor fight cannot be overlooked.

The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • RESULTS FROM TONIGHT’S “HALL OF FAME FIGHT NIGHT” PRESENTED BY SALITA PROMOTIONS & ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT LIVE ON DAZN AT THE TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO
    , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • Davis vs De Los Santos: The Fight That Never Was
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • 2 Filipino grandmasters join Touchmove chess tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • Keyshawn Davis Fight Canceled After Weight Miss, Mason-Nakathila Elevated to Main Event
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • Eumir Marcial Set to Battle Alexis Gaytán in Pacquiao's Comeback Show
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • SUNDAY: Fabio Turchi-Milans Volkovs Cruiserweight Showdown Headlines Italy Fight Card LIVE in the U.S. on ESPN+
    , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • Bomogao KOs Rubio in 1st round
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • REYES CUP SET FOR ELECTRIFYING RETURN TO MANILA, OCTOBER 16–19
    , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • King's Promotions June 19th Card at Wind Creek Event Center is Postponed Card Rescheduled for September 5th
    , Sat, 07 Jun 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 7 - AMATEUR BOXING CAREER OF MUHAMMAD ALI
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • Indiana, Haliburton Do It Again, Pacers Shock OKC on the Road, 111-110
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • STAR BOXING PRESENTS SPECIAL PRESS CONFERENCE-MONDAY
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • Undefeated Super Bantamweight Chavez Barrientes Returns June 7th Against Sharone Carter on Most Valuable Prospects 13 Card
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • Vasiliy Lomachenko Announces Retirement: A Glorious Chapter Closes in Boxing History
    By Dong Secuya, , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • “HALL OF FAME FIGHT NIGHT” OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND QUOTES
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • Press Conference Notes: Keyshawn Davis Returns Home for Inaugural World Title Defense at Norfolk’s Scope Arena
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • DAZN PRESENTS NEW NO DAYS OFF EPISODE HIGHLIGHTING REIGNING UNIFIED SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION FRANCHÓN CREWS-DEZURN
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • ANTONIO VARGAS PENS CO-PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH MATCHROOM AND BOXLAB
    , Fri, 06 Jun 2025
  • Antimaro, Jimenez to fight in Japan on June 7
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • Keyshawn Davis vs. Edwin De Los Santos Fight Week Events to Stream LIVE on Top Rank’s Social Media Channels
    , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • “Prospects Collide” Full Card Announced
    , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • Correa Set for High-Stakes Bantamweight Showdown vs. Undefeated Michael Angeletti on ProBox TV
    , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • Kansas Athletic Commission overturns ‘No Contest’ to TKO win for undefeated Super middleweight prospect Marco Romero
    , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • 2nd JCI Senate Lipa Chess Festival set
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 05 Jun 2025
  • RING III: TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR THRILLING JULY 12 NEW YORK DOUBLE HEADER FEATURING STEVENSON-ZEPEDA AND BERLANGA-SHEERAZ
    , Thu, 05 Jun 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.