Conor McGregor was supposedly in advanced negotiations for potential showdowns against top influencer boxers.
McGregor has remained sidelined since suffering a brutal leg break in his trilogy clash with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 back in July 2021. Despite years of relentless teases and bold declarations about a comeback, the Irishman’s long-awaited return to the Octagon has remained nothing more than talk.
Back in December, “The Notorious” revealed he was actively plotting a high-profile exhibition bout against Logan Paul in India, aiming for a summer showdown before making his UFC return. But as it turns out, Paul wasn’t the only YouTuber-turned-part-time boxer on McGregor’s radar.
During a recent episode of Misfits News on YouTube, promoter Mams Taylor revealed that McGregor was on the verge of finalizing a crossover boxing match against KSI. The bout, reportedly orchestrated by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority Chairman Turki Alalshikh, was set to take place on Alcatraz Island in June.
However, at the last moment, just before the fight could be officially announced, the former UFC two-division champion reportedly withdrew.
The Conor McGregor one, we thought it was a done deal," Taylor said. "We were told it was a done deal. I don’t know exactly [what happened] because I wasn’t part of the negotiations with Conor, but I think Conor made a statement recently about that and addressed it subtly so just refer back to that. He wants to be a politician and who knows? I think that’s a very exciting fight, I think it’s a wonderful fight, it would be massive. That got KSI more excited than I’ve ever seen him and I’ve seen him go through ups, downs, all kinds of crazy stuff we’ve been through together.
Taylor’s assertions seem to be corroborated by a statement made by "The Notorious" last month, where McGregor confessed to turning down an opportunity to fight on Alcatraz. He explained that his focus was instead directed toward his ambitious presidential campaign in Ireland.
Meanwhile, KSI was initially set to face McGregor's close friend Dillon Danis in the headline matchup at Misfits Boxing 21 on March 29. However, the British YouTuber withdrew from the fight, citing an alleged illness.
While the bout was reportedly postponed with hopes of rescheduling, it now seems increasingly unlikely that the fight will ever be rebooked.