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Sean Gibbons, President of Manny Pacquiao’s promotional company, MP Promotions, admits the demand for a boxing match with Conor McGregor has plummeted in the aftermath of Saturday’s loss by the UFC star.
McGregor was knocked out in two rounds by Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi.
Pacquiao and McGregor are handled by the same management company.
There were serious discussions taking place to match them against each other in 2021, in a cross-sport boxing match.
But the fight is no longer an option as McGregor will now steer his focus to a trilogy fight with Poirier.
“Very unfortunate, it looked like Conor looked past Dustin and got knocked out. Maybe he had the Senator on his mind. I think the demand for the fight is not there presently. Conor has some business to clean up and handle in the UFC. It’s a bummer, it could have been fun for as long as it lasted,” Gibbons told The Sun.
Pacquiao is now in talks for a potential clash with unbeaten lightweight contender Ryan Garcia.
The 42-year-old has been out of the ring since July 2019, when he captured the WBA welterweight title with a twelve round split decision win over Keith Thurman at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
For his part, McGregor denied that he was already looking ahead to a Pacquiao fight, but he does reveal the contest was certainly on course to take place.
“I always did want to focus on my MMA career but I’m also open. I’ll just see what happens. I don’t know what will happen. That Manny fight was happening. It was as good as done. I just want to get in and get back into a bounce, especially against that style of fighter, and not take those kicks. Not play with those kicks. It’s just a motherf–ker to take. That’s my mind going,” McGregor said.