Islam Makhachev Calls Out Conor McGregor for Boxing Match
Islam Makhachev already rules the UFC lightweight division and sits atop the pound-for-pound list, but his eyes are wandering toward a different arena – and a familiar name.
Conor McGregor.
Not in a cage. In a ring.
Makhachev’s Bold Invitation
Speaking to Ushatayka, the UFC champion didn’t bother to play coy. A boxing match with McGregor doesn’t just interest him; it excites him.
According to Makhachev, he sees a one-sided beating if the two ever trade leather under boxing rules. He dismissed the idea that McGregor’s vaunted left hand would trouble him beyond the opening exchanges.
“Yes maybe he’s dangerous in the first round, but after that I don’t think he has any chance. Honestly, regardless of the purse I’d box (Conor),” Makhachev said.
No talk of negotiations. No talk of needing a massive payday. Just a champion convinced he would “wipe the floor” with the Irishman in a sport neither of them calls home.
Why Boxing, Not the Octagon?
On paper, the matchup makes no sense in the UFC right now. Makhachev is on top of the world; McGregor is coming off multiple losses and nowhere near a welterweight title shot. Their competitive paths simply don’t cross inside the cage.
Boxing changes the equation.
A ring strips away Makhachev’s most dangerous weapon: his elite grappling. It also hands McGregor something he’s always wanted more of – a pure striking showcase, free from the threat of takedowns, scrambles, and clinch battles against the fence.
That dynamic is exactly why the idea won’t go away. Makhachev, the sport’s most complete fighter, against McGregor, still the sport’s biggest star, in a discipline that flatters the Irishman’s strengths and tests the champion’s confidence in his stand-up.
Dana White’s Dilemma
Would Dana White ever actually book it?
Under UFC rules, the matchup is a non-starter. In a Zuffa Boxing setting, it suddenly looks like a promoter’s dream: the best MMA fighter in the world versus the biggest MMA draw of the modern era.
White has already watched McGregor step into the boxing world once, against Floyd Mayweather. That spectacle proved one thing beyond doubt: when McGregor boxes, people watch. A Makhachev–McGregor boxing bout would tap into that same energy, only this time with a reigning UFC champion crossing over.
The risk–reward calculus is obvious. A win for Makhachev would add another layer to his growing aura. A McGregor upset would detonate across both sports.
How Would It Look in the Ring?
Strip away the cage, and the matchup tightens.
In MMA, almost nobody would pick McGregor. Makhachev’s grappling would smother him, drag him to the mat, and likely end the night early. The Irishman has seen that script before against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
In boxing, the picture blurs. McGregor can focus entirely on distance, timing, and power. No level changes to worry about. No clinch trips. Just the hunt for Makhachev’s chin.
Makhachev isn’t billed as a striker first, but calling him limited on the feet would be lazy. He’s become an excellent, composed stand-up fighter, more than capable of holding his own in exchanges. His timing, shot selection, and defensive awareness have grown alongside his wrestling dominance.
Still, McGregor’s power remains the wild card. One clean left hand always gives him a puncher’s chance, even if his gas tank and recent form raise serious questions about what happens after those early rounds Makhachev referenced.
A Fantasy Fight That Won’t Die
The reality? The odds say this never happens – not in the Octagon, not in the ring.
Too many moving parts. Too much risk, not enough sporting logic.
Yet the idea lingers because it hits every nerve the fight game thrives on: legacy, ego, style clashes, and the eternal question of what happens when the king of today walks toward the star who once owned the sport’s spotlight.
Makhachev sounds ready to find out.
The only question now is whether McGregor – and the UFC – ever feel bold enough to meet him between the ropes.
