Islam Makhachev has revealed that he and Conor McGregor once discussed a potential boxing match after Turki Alalshikh brought up the idea during a boxing event.
Makhachev said Alalshikh asked whether he would be interested in boxing McGregor, and the UFC welterweight champion immediately indicated that he was open to the matchup.
“I was at a boxing event with Turki Alalshikh, and he asked me if I’d box Conor McGregor. I said I was down, and he called Conor. We couldn’t really talk because he started some… body language.”
Makhachev’s comments have once again raised the possibility of one of the biggest crossover fights in combat sports.
Islam Makhachev Open to Boxing Conor McGregor
Although Islam Makhachev is widely regarded as one of the best MMA fighters in the world, he acknowledged that he may not be considered a high-level boxer. However, the Russian believes he can still compete with other fighters on the feet, which could make a boxing matchup with McGregor an interesting challenge.
McGregor, of course, has considerably more experience in professional boxing than Makhachev. The Irishman famously stepped into the ring against boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
McGregor entered his bout against Mayweather as a huge underdog but surprised many with his performance.
The former two-division UFC champion won several rounds on some scorecards and remained competitive for much of the fight before Mayweather eventually stopped him in the 10th round.
While McGregor ultimately suffered his first professional boxing defeat, his performance demonstrated that he could transition from MMA to elite-level boxing and compete against one of the greatest boxers of all time.
That experience could give ‘The Notorious’ a significant advantage if he eventually shares the ring with Makhachev.
Why Islam Makhachev vs. Conor McGregor Could Happen
A boxing match between the two could become more realistic in the coming years. Conor McGregor still has one fight remaining on his UFC contract and is expected to return next year after recovering from his recent injuries. A potential comeback during International Fight Week in July has been discussed.
Islam Makhachev, meanwhile, is preparing for another major challenge. The Russian will defend his UFC welterweight championship against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 this weekend.
Makhachev will also turn 35 later this year, meaning his remaining years at the top of the sport could become increasingly important. If he eventually decides to move away from MMA, a high-profile boxing match against McGregor could be an attractive option.
A boxing match would also give fans the opportunity to see the rivalry between McGregor and Makhachev develop in a completely different setting.
The two have been linked through their connection to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legendary rivalry with McGregor, but Makhachev does not appear to harbor the same level of hatred toward the Irishman. In fact, Makhachev recently revealed that he felt bad about what happened to McGregor during his UFC 329 loss.
McGregor has also previously spoken highly of Makhachev, even ranking him above Khabib and praising him for becoming a two-division champion and for his overall talent.
A New Chapter in an Old Rivalry?
With Islam Makhachev openly willing to box Conor McGregor and the Irishman potentially approaching the final stages of his UFC career, the matchup could eventually make sense for both fighters.
Makhachev would get the opportunity to test himself in a new discipline, while McGregor could add another blockbuster fight to his comeback.
For fans, however, the biggest attraction would be seeing two fighters connected to one of MMA’s most famous rivalries finally settle their differences inside a boxing ring.
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