'Manny Pacquiao Did Much Worse With Floyd Mayweather Than Conor McGregor,' UFC Legend Says

UFC legend and MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given Conor McGregor props for being a tougher opponent for Floyd Mayweather Jr. than Manny Pacquiao.

After an epic showdown against Mayweather in 2017, the former two-division UFC champion now has his eyes locked on Pacquiao for another shot in pro boxing.

Both Pacquiao and McGregor shared the ring with Mayweather, but based on Sonnen’s verdict, the MMA star did a better job than the Filipino boxer.

Speaking on his official YouTube channel, the ESPN analyst claims that judges were getting ready to rob McGregor during his pro boxing debut against Mayweather. But the Irish fighter gased out.

Ultimately, Sonnen pointed out that if McGregor did a great job against a long-time champ like Mayweather, then he can match-up well against Pacquiao as well.

“It was all a lie, all of it,” Sonnen said of the judges’ scores on Mayweather vs. McGregor fight.

“[Manny] Pacquiao did much worse with Floyd than Conor [McGregor] did (and) if that’s the only thing we have to compare it to, then let’s do the fight,” he said. “Manny Pacquiao? One of the best ever? All of those things are true but he’s already done it once and he did it with Floyd, who’s better than Pacquiao, I’m just saying, we don’t how good Conor is.”

Sonnen’s statement was a response to Joe Rogan’s insightful take on the subject. For the UFC color commentator, Pacquiao obliterating McGregor in the boxing ring is a no-brainer as the eight-division titleholder is one of the greatest boxers of all time.

“They’re actually talking about him fighting Conor McGregor right now, which is kina bonkers, ” he recently told Tony Hinchliffe on his podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience. “You’re talking about one of the greatest boxers of all time against a guy with one professional boxing match.”

Since his victorious UFC return at UFC 246 against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, McGregor has been eyeing for a fight against Pacquiao. There had been hints of approval from both parties with McGregor even unofficially announcing on social media, “I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East.”

Things took a major step forward when Pacquiao’s team finally confirmed to CNN Philippines in September that “confidential details” are now being finalized for the much-awaited clash between the two fighters.

“Our lawyers are finalizing all the confidential details, but both fighters are getting ready for this one epic last boxing fight,” the statement read.