Could Conor McGregor follow up his UFC return with a boxing bout against Manny?

Manny Pacquiao weighs in for his most recent exhibition fight.LAPRESSE

Manny Pacquiao is itching to get back in the boxing ring. At 45 years old and nearly three years removed from his last professional fight, the Filipino legend wants action once again.

A few names have been rumored for his next opponent, with Conor Benn being the main one. The fight seemed all but set to happen, but Benn losing his suspension appeal has thrown a wrench in those plans.

Manny Pacquiao continues to eye Conor McGregor bout

With Benn out of the picture, Pacquiao turns his focus once again to Conor McGregor. Sean Gibbons, an advisor to Pacquiao, recently spoke about Pacquiao’s options.

It was always really a great dream for him and Conor McGregor, but Conor’s got so much UFC business or whatever. Manny’s got about nine months left because he’s going to run for office again, so he’s still actively looking for something… They said [Benn] comes off suspension in September, there’s still an opportunity to do that. Conor Benn was the ideal fight because it would have been competitive.

Gibbons leaves open the possibility of a Benn fight later in the year, but it sounds like it’s kind of in the rearview mirror for Pacquiao and his team. Although Gibbons didn’t sound too confident in a McGregor fight materializing, he didn’t rule it out.

The nine months timeline also gives McGregor plenty of time to make it happen. McGregor is making his UFC return against Michael Chandler on June 29. There don’t seem to be too many other options for Pacquiao at the moment.