Conor McGregor ‘boxing Manny Pacquiao next in Middle East’ as UFC legend sensationally claims he is out of retirement

CONOR McGREGOR has sensationally claimed he is going to fight Manny Pacquiao in a boxing match in the Middle East.

The UFC legend - who lost to 50-0 king Floyd Mayweather in August 2017 - released a flurry of tweets on Friday night.

In them, he showed private Instagram messages to UFC boss Dana White.

McGregor - who recently showed off his extreme new look with a shaved head - was trying to arrange a return fight in MMA following his retirement announcement in June - his third in four years.

But the talks apparently fizzled out and McGregor - recently urged to return to the octagon by rival Justin Gaethje - later tweeted: "Anyway all water under the bridge who gives a fook. I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East."

"It will be a true honour to have faced two of the greatest boxers of the modern era, afraid of a fight."

It is not clear exactly where McGregor, 32, and Filipino superstar Pacquiao, 41, would have their supposed fight - or if the Irishman was 100 per cent genuine in what he was saying.

Pacquiao, an eight-weight world champion widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters ever, most recently fought in July last year when he beat Keith Thurman in a WBA super world welterweight title defence.

He has not yet responded to McGregor's post.

But McGregor suggested just last month a fight between the pair was on when he tweeted "accepted" in Tagalog - the language of the Philippines.

His earlier tweets revealed that before coronavirus halted the sport, McGregor had been working on a second fight in 2020.

The Irishman said he felt "sad" about his inactive season and tried to deliver a headline event.

He added: "Then when covid hit and the talk was that I would have to wait for crowds again, I walked away from the situation.

"I was waiting long enough at that stage."

Notorious - who recently released footage of himself shadow boxing - has had a summer shrouded in controversy.

He was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of attempted sexual assault and indecent exposure before being released without charge.

A young married woman in Corsica claimed McGregor "exhibited his private parts" following a heavy drinking session in the upmarket port town of Calvi on September 6.

The month before, McGregor announced his engagement to long-time girlfriend Dee Devlin, with whom he has three-year-old son Conor Jr and young daughter Croia.

But it seems he has a strong desire to return to fighting - and specifically in the ring.

McGregor has not fought since defeating Donald Cerrone in just 40 seconds in January.

White, who is set to formally confirm his venture into boxing in the next two weeks, said he and McGregor were working on "some fun stuff".