Despite welcoming the chance to fight lightweight contender, Dan Hooker as soon as February in the Middle East, Conor McGregor has confirmed he has held crunch talks with Saudi Arabian adviser, Turki Alalshikh in the region — including a potential landing in the “boxing realm” to boot.
McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight champion and featherweight gold holder under the banner of the UFC, has yet to book his return to action since he fractured his left tibia and fibula back in 2021, in a trilogy rubber match TKO loss against three-fight rival, Dustin Poirier.
And slated to return at UFC 303 back in June during International Fight Week, Conor McGregor fractured a toe on the same left leg as his prior injury, withdrawing from a slated welterweight fight against veteran former title challenger, Michael Chandler.
Conor McGregor reveals crunch talks with Saudi Arabian adviser, Turki Alalshikh
And while the above-mentioned City Kickboxing star, Hooker revealed any fight with Conor McGregor must take place in either January or March amid the pregnancy of his partner, the Dubliner has revealed a potential venture to Saudi Arabia in the near future amid talks with Alalshikh.
“Turki (Alalshikh) is the man,” McGregor told talkSPORT during a recent interview. “He’s had the shaking of the combat sports world. He’s been mending rivalries and making business happen in the industry. I’ve got some big announcements for myself in the Saudi region. I was on a call with him only yesterday. We have some big, big things coming up including in the boxing realm as well.”
Conor McGregor’s reaction once he realized the other fighter wasn’t up from the KO yet
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— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) November 3, 2024
Without a win in the last four years, McGregor’s most recent success came in the form of a devastating opening round high-kick and strikes stoppage of Donald Cerrone in just40-seconds against the future Hall of Fame inductee and former lightweight title challenger.