Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, are slugging it out to land the crossover clash starring boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Conor McGregor.
As Pacquiao and McGregor both express deep interest in facing off this year, Audie Attar, chief of Paradigm Sports, the management outfit that handles both fighting stars, told Arab News that everyone’s “having active discussions.”
“Yeah, both fighters want that fight. McGregor is committed to fighting Manny. There’s interest from the fans,” Attar said.
If it happens, Attar envisions the marquee matchup to be held in front of fans — an environment familiar to crowd-favorites Pacquiao and McGregor — without sacrificing safety given the current conditions in relation to Covid-19.
“I can tell you that we’ve had some conversations with different jurisdictions and entities to host. It’s more than money. I think you have to look at all the different variables.”
Attar is likewise putting premium on strict health protocols.
“One of the most important things is safety, ensuring that the fighters, the camps are safe wherever we put this on. And, hopefully, you can put it on in a place where you can actually have some fans in a safe way as well. So you have to weigh those elements up. I think there are several different things to take into consideration when making the final decision.”
McGregor is returning to action in an MMA setting late this month against Dustin Poirier.
Pacquiao, who, like McGregor, just signed a management pact with Attar, hasn’t fought since shocking Keith Thurman in July 2019 in Las Vegas.
Last month, Pacquiao told Daily Tribune that he can do two fights in 2021, starting with an appearance in April and possibly another towards September.
As soon as McGregor takes care of business, he will start calling out Pacquiao, boxing’s one and only eight-division world champion, in his own noisy and outlandish manner.
Meanwhile, Attar is silently working to get the best deal in place for his two prized talents.
