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UFC superstar Conor McGregor has openly confirmed that his desire for a rematch with Dustin Poirier is to help him prepare for a cross-sport boxing match with eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao.
McGregor, who announced his retirement from the UFC earlier this year, has been talking up a boxing match with Pacquiao for the last few months
Pacquiao recently signed an agreement with the same management company that represents McGregor – which some view as a clear indicator of a potential cross-sport clash in the future.
According to Poirier, the only reason McGregor wants to face him is to prepare for the southpaw style of Pacquiao.
“Going back to why I think he wants this fight, it’s because he’s angling to fight Pacquiao. That was in the news. So I don’t know if the UFC wants him to fight one more time before they allow him to fight Pacquiao or if he just wants to get one more this year before starting next year with the Pacquiao fight, but what better way to do it against another southpaw? I think that might be his mindset,” Poirier said to Teddy Atlas’ podcast.
“He wants to fight another southpaw before he fights another southpaw. I don’t know what’s going on, but I think that’s what the alignment is.”
McGregor fully agrees with Poirier’s take on the rematch.
“Correct. Southpaw box style. Continue to sharpen my MMA skills with some tough competition, while leading into my Manny bout preparation. It’s not easy going between both sports and then coming back to the one sport again. Just want to keep sharp guys, that’s all. It’s only fair,” McGregor wrote.
McGregor has not fought since January, when he blasted out Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in just 40 seconds.
He would like to face Poirier in 2020 and then move on to a Pacquiao boxing match in 2021.
McGregor made his pro boxing debut in August of 2017, when he was stopped in ten rounds by Floyd Mayweather at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao has been away from the ring since July of 2019, when he won a twelve round decision over Keith Thurman to capture the WBA welterweight title.