Islam Makhachev will give Conor McGregor one round.
Turki Alalshikh recently set up a phone call between the two about boxing each other. Makhachev, the UFC welterweight champion, was asked about it by Ushatayka and gave McGregor exactly as much credit as he thought the situation warranted.
Well, if I say he’s not dangerous at all, that would be wrong. He’s dangerous, yes, in the first round. But after that, I don’t think he has much of a chance.
The money is not what interests him.
When it comes to boxing, they pay very good money. I don’t know how much I want. Honestly, regardless of money, I’d box specifically against Conor.
Makhachev is known for his wrestling, which makes a boxing match an odd fit on paper. McGregor has boxed professionally once, losing to Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
McGregor is in no position to answer with anything but words. He tore his ACL and meniscus throwing a jumping kick in the opening seconds of his UFC 329 return in July and lost to Max Holloway 69 seconds in. He had surgery in August and said last week that he is taking the full nine to twelve months rather than rushing, which points to a return around next summer.
He has one fight left on his UFC contract. Eddie Alvarez said this month that he does not expect the promotion to make that last fight a comfortable one, drawing on his own experience of leaving Bellator.
McGregor has not responded to Makhachev.
