A key adviser to former world champion Manny Pacquiao has said that a fight with Conor McGregor is looking increasingly unlikely. 

The two fighters, both multiple weight world champions in their respective crafts, have for several years been closely linked to competing against once another in the boxing ring. Plans to make this cross-codes bout a reality, though, were waylaid by the leg injury sustained by McGregor in his most recent bout in the Octagon in the summer of 2021, as well as by Pacquaio seemingly stepping away from professional competition following his August 2021 loss to Yordenis Ugas.

But now that McGregor is back in active competition, speculation has risen as to the Dubliner’s possible return to boxing for the first time since 2017 — but according to Pacquaio’s counsel, Sean Gibbons, fight fans shouldn’t hold their breath.

“It was always really a great dream for him and Conor McGregor, but Conor’s got so much UFC business or whatever,” Gibbons told BoxingScene.

“Manny’s got about nine months left because he’s going to run for office again, so he’s still actively looking for something.”

And according to Gibbons, that ‘something’ could well be another Conor.

“You know, that fight was more or less in place to happen and, unfortunately, [Conor Benn] lost the appeal [against a PED suspension],” Gibbons said. “We got bad luck. You saw the hype, the build-up, everybody was excited, all sides wanted to do it, but unfortunately losing the appeal cost the fight.

“Conor Benn, they said he comes off suspension in September, there’s still an opportunity to do that. I always thought Kell Brook would have been fun.”