Boxing royalty Manny Pacquiao and UFC icon Conor McGregor are reportedly in talks over a Middle East super-fight, with both sides confirming details are being finalised.
Pacquiao, who has since taken up a career in politics, announced in a statement that a large cut of the fighter’s purse will be donated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Senator of the Philippines calling the bout ‘one epic last boxing fight’.
Of course, nothing is yet official in terms of the fight happening, but it seems like both parties are keen to get it sorted.
Of course, this wouldn't be the Irishman's first experience in the boxing ring.
McGregor’s first foray into the world of professional boxing saw him take on Pacquiao’s great rival Floyd Mayweather, with 'Money' coming out on top thanks to a round 10 stoppage.
With the fight looking increasingly more likely to become a reality, the fight has been simulated on a version of Fight Night with McGregor surprisingly coming out on top.
Despite early dominance from 'Pac-Man', a brutal ninth-round uppercut from 'Notorious' saw Pacquiao knocked to the canvas, before the 41-year-old Filipino was sent tumbling once more moments after getting to his feet.
Pacquiao managed to make it back to his corner at the end of the round, but McGregor’s power proved too much as a powerful hit early on in the 10th saw the Irish fighter win via knockout.
The real-life fight could follow a very similar suit, with boxing’s only ever eight division world champion likely to outbox the UFC fighter, however, the power and aggression of the younger McGregor could swing things back in his favour.
McGregor is two inches taller than his rival and has a seven-inch reach advantage between the two southpaw fighters, but Pacquiao, who was named as the world’s second-best pound-for-pound boxer of the last 25 years by ESPN, is surely the favourite ahead of the highly anticipated bout.