Former featherweight and lightweight UFC champion Conor McGregor was soaking in the sun at Saturday’s Monaco Grand Prix qualifying in Monte Carlo, before catching up with the cameras and microphones of Sky Sports where he declared that he remains interested in returning to both the boxing ring and the Octagon.
McGregor said: "Boxing is my first love in combat sports. I had such a great time the last time I was out there.
"Obviously, my return will be in the Octagon for UFC - that story is far from over, in fact it's just being written, it is just the beginning. But, boxing, for sure I will grace the squared circle again in the future.”
Following the announcement from ‘Notorious’, we’ve decided to take a look at five potential fights the Irishman could take if he is to return this year…
The Repeat: Dustin Poirier
The Irishman hasn’t fought since he broke his leg when fighting ‘The Diamond’ last year, giving Poirier a 2-1 lead in the trilogy of fights between the two. McGregor won’t want an opponent to hold a positive record against him, so a repeat fight against Poirier to redeem his title credentials could be in order.
A lot of this depends on if Poirier wants to fight him again, with the former interim champion holding the cards when it comes to his next opponent. Fights against former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler and the UFC’s chief heel Colby Covington could be in the works. It’s not the fight written in the stars but it’s an easy cash-in for the UFC and to get McGregor back in the ring.
The Nemesis: Nate Diaz
Nate Diaz, legendary younger brother of MMA icon Nick Diaz and title contender in the UFC is a viable option for McGregor. It would be the ultimate ending to an epic trilogy, with both men seemingly out of favour in terms of results. Diaz lost out to Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards in his last two fights, while McGregor lost his last two to Poirier.
Diaz and McGregor’s initial confrontations were fundamental in creating the modern UFC product as we know it today. The pair’s disdain for one another was marketed to high heaven with press conferences scheduled indefinitely for the pair to engage in some verbal warfare to the delight of news outlets everywhere. Diaz stepping in on eleven days notice and then defeating McGregor via submission went into the lore of the sport, and the rematch was just as good when McGregor outboxed and defeated his opponent via majority decision.
Diaz remains box office, holding the record alongside Frankie Edgar for most ‘Fight of the Night’ awards with eight and even in his last loss to Edwards, he still managed to get a huge reaction when he nearly dropped the Englishman with a jab-straight combo that saw the arena erupt and Joe Rogan reeling out of his seat. Alas, Edwards survived the onslaught and Diaz’s reputation remained intact. We think it’s time for Diaz to run it back with McGregor and end the talking once and for all.
The Ex-Champions: Michael Chandler
Michael Chandler has been a fantastic addition to the UFC roster since he made the switch from Bellator back in 2020. Since then he’s fought for a title against Charles Oliveira, which he lost, and was defeated in a title eliminator against Justin Gaethje. Yet he still finds himself near the top of the division.
Put simply, Michael Chandler is dynamite. His scrap with Gaethje is one of the greatest stand-and-bang fights of all time. His front-kick knockout of Tony Ferguson will go alongside Molly McCann’s spinning elbow as Knockout of the Year and a fight against McGregor would be a historic affair.
McGregor has a decent record against former Bellator champions, defeating Eddie Alvarez after he moved to the UFC following his win of the Bellator belt against Chandler. It’s a small world.
The Statement: Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez
It’s an outside shout given the Mexican’s status as one of boxing’s pound-for-pound greats, but Canelo is now 31-years-old. When he fights Gennady Golovkin for a third time in September he will be 32 and, having said he would retire by 37 to focus on his businesses and golfing, he is rapidly approaching his own deadline for boxing. Now could be the time to cash-in.
Floyd Mayweather Jr’s original bout against McGregor earned him around €280 million and a fight between Alvarez and the UFC star could be similarly lucrative. The only issue would remain inside the ring. As much as McGregor clearly has a love for the sport of boxing and is proficient at translating it into the Octagon, fighting against someone that will go down as one of the greatest of all time, who remains in their physical peak, will surely only go one way.
Regardless, a fight against Canelo would be a statement of his intent to remain in the boxing world, which will no doubt set the world’s boxing promoters on red alert to join the money train that will follow.
The Exhibition: Jake Paul
It’s not pretty. It’s not what one side’s fans want. It’s not really what Dana White or the boxing promoters of the world want, but it might be what Conor McGregor wants.
Jake Paul remains to linger around the sporting world, poking a multitude of beehives with his stick of controversy. However, his work as a promoter for Amanda Serrano in part of the biggest fight in women’s boxing history has been a success and he seems to be earning respect from those in the sport with his direct statements and fan-first attitude.
A fight against Conor McGregor continues to legitimise his place in the combat sports world and the Irishman will no doubt be happy to accept the millions that will land in his pocket as the A-side of an event.
Like we said, it’s not pretty, but it’s definitely on the table.
