Conor McGregor could “drift off into boxing” if Poirier rematch doesn’t happen, says head coach

John Kavanagh says Conor McGregor could turn his attention to boxing if a rematch with Dustin Poirier doesn’t materialize.

McGregor returned from a year-long layoff in the main event of UFC 257 last weekend, losing via second-round TKO to his former victim Dustin Poirier in a shocking turn of events.

In the wake of loss, there’s a good deal of uncertainty surrounding McGregor’s future. Yet Kavanagh, who has long served as the Irish superstar’s head coach, sees a few likely possibilities.

He says McGregor is eager for a tie-breaking trilogy fight with Poirier, but also in future boxing matches.

Conor McGregor wants the trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier, his coach John Kavanagh told @arielhelwani. pic.twitter.com/KZ6rLH6ukD

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 25, 2021

“He’s already harassing everybody to get the rematch [with Poirier],” Kavanagh told ESPN after McGregor lost at UFC 257. “We would love the rematch. I don’t think Dustin is against that. If we could the rematch before summer, that’d be amazing. If it’s not to be, I guess I don’t really know. Maybe he drifts off into the boxing.”

While Conor McGregor rose to fame as a mixed martial artist in the UFC, he’s also become one of the biggest names in boxing. That’s primarily due to a blockbuster 2017 boxing match with unbeaten legend Floyd Mayweather Jr., but also because of his continued interest in a fight with Manny Pacquiao.

According to McGregor, a fight with Pacquiao, with whom he shares management, was most likely going to next had he beaten Poirier at UFC 257.

“It’s hard to take,” McGregor said after losing to Poirier. “The highest highs and the lowest lows in this game. My leg is completely dead. Even though I felt like I was checking them, it was just sinking into the muscle at the front of the leg and it was badly compromised.

“There are no damn leg kicks in boxing, you know what I mean?” McGregor added. “I always did want to focus on my MMA career, but I’m also open. I’ll just see what happens. I don’t know what will happen. That Manny [Pacquiao] fight was happening. It was as good as done. I just want to get in there and get back into a bounce, especially against that style of fighter, and not take those kicks. Not play with those kicks. It’s just a motherf*cker to take.”

What do you think is next for Conor McGregor after UFC 257?