He didn't get the ideal date but Conor McGregor accepted the January 23rd bout with Dustin Poirier next year as offered by UFC chief Dana White. The rematch is tentatively a go pending the ironing out of details but already, The Notorious has set his sight on meeting Manny Pacquiao atop the boxing ring.
The McGregor vs. Poirier is expected to be confirmed over the next few weeks as all parties concerned will need to reach a formal agreement. While the Irishman has already said yes, the fight can only be called final when the relevant contracts have been signed.
As of writing, Poirier said representatives from both the UFC and McGregor have yet to make contact although the American has already indicated he is ready anytime for the slugfest.
McGregor on the other hand has made up his mind on where the clash No. 2 with Poirier will take place. His preference points to Texas, specifically at the Dallas Cowboy's AT&T Stadium.
"My goal is to see this fight take place in Cowboy stadium. Proper Style! Jerry Jones is a friend and the stadium can hold our crowd," USA Today quoted the UFC superstar as saying in a Twitter post.
The MMA artist also indicated the January 23 schedule is okay with him although the timing did not sync with his earlier request of holding this year, possibly in December. In any case, McGregor declared that the fight is on and he seemed already set on the next one - the anticipated blockbuster showdown with Pacquiao.
While White was unable to accommodate McGregor's request for the UFC battle with Poirier to take place before the end of 2020, The Notorious appeared not worried by the possible delays to attend his boxing date with Pacquaio. To his mind, the project will proceed as planned notwithstanding the minor glitch.
The prizefight is expected to draw the world's attention. There is no assurance that the Pacquiao vs. McGregor will be at the same level as McGregor's epic clash with Floyd Mayweather in 2017, which according to ESPN is among the most lucrative in combat sports, but it will surely deliver another windfall to the Irish superstar.
It is understood that Pacquiao and McGregor will co-promote the boxing match and the choice of venue is thought to be in the Middle East. Originally, the Pacquaio vs. McGregor is slated for December this year or January 2019 but with the UFC rematch penciled on Jan 23, the two fighters will need to set a later date.
For that, the realistic target should be the middle part of 2021, possibly between May and June, which should give sufficient time for both Pacquiao and McGregor to prepare for the boxing showdown, which by the way is not a title match.
