Conor McGregor v Manny Pacquiao Odds

Conor McGregor really needs to look up the word retirement.

The MMA superstar announced on social media back in June that he was retiring from fighting - usually, such news would 'break the internet', but this is now the third time that Mystic Mac has made this statement. To some extent, the most prized fighter on the planet is now irritating fans, rather than getting them on the edge of their seats.

Inevitably, rumours have begun to fly around McGregor's next fight. But it doesn't look to be taking place inside the Octagon. Instead, the Irishman has publicly announced that he is in talks to fight boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

This isn't 'paper talk' either, with the Philippine's office confirming the news. McGregor's coach John Kavanagh has further solidified the rumours, stating that it is in the works and that he believes 'it will happen'. Early next year was his prediction.

With the wheels in motion, we've had a look into the early outright betting markets for the fight.

Pacquiao's boxing record reads 71 fights, 62 wins. McGregor's is 1 fight, 1 loss.

Inevitably, the bookmaker's have granted the former with the label in being the fight favourite. The WBA Welterweight champion fought twice in 2019 and looked sharp, despite now being on the other side of 40.

He outclassed Adrien Boner in January, before winning the Super Welterweight title from Keith Thurman via split decision. Pac-Man showed the danger he still possesses in the fight, dropping his opponent in the first. He put on a vintage, aggressive display, with this forward output being the decisive factor on points.

At 1/6 though, he isn't necessarily the overwhelming favourite, particularly when it comes to boxing prices. McGregor has been granted an outright shot at 7/2, which is significantly shorter to his 11/1 odds against Floyd Mayweather.

His nine round bout with the 50-0 fighter is the only boxing basis we have to go off for the Notorious. He showed a solid skillset in his base movement and judging of distance early on, but his stamina soon started to fade. Floyd stepped up the work and soon picked Conor apart, but it was a valuable learning experience for the latter.

The draw stands at 20/1.

Despite Pac-Man being known for his aggressive forward pressure, he has only registered one TKO/KO victory in the last ten years - this came against Lucas Matthysse in 2018. However, this fight is widely expected to be finished inside twelve rounds.

Pacquiao is 4/11 to win via TKO/KO, and McGregor can expect a quicker start from his opponent, in comparison to Mayweather. The 41-year-old will look to come inside and wear the former UFC champion down quickly, picking his snaps shots and cutting that distance down from the off.

A stoppage is likely the only avenue for McGregor to prevail on the night, as outclassing the veteran on points just seems to be far too unrealistic. Even in MMA, the Notorious has opted against going the distance, usually favouring a forward approach and utilising the power he possesses early on.

He landed a few of these shots in the opening 3 rounds against Mayweather, and has recently stated that he regrets not going hell for leather, when the opportunity arised. We expect his 9/2 odds to win via TKO/KO to be a popular punt with his loyal following.

For those that fancy this bout to go the distance, there is value in either man.

Pacquiao will surely be the more favoured pick in this market, simply due to his experience inside the ring. As mentioned, Pac-Man has only won one fight by TKO in the last decade, and the potential is always there for him to have some fun and toy with McGregor.

He has odds of 7/2 to win via decision - a fair price, given his 1/6 outright odds.

For McGregor, he has been given a much larger shot at 14/1. Such a price stems from his stamina issues, where he does tend to fade in the latter rounds of fights. Maintaining his aggressive output over 12 rounds is a difficult image to succumb too. The bookmakers believe it is three times more likely for him to win via a stoppage.

Let us know across our social channels how you think this one will play out.