Why a Conor McGregor vs. Logan Paul Boxing Match is a Bad Idea For Combat Sports

When Conor McGregor vs. Logan Paul was teased as a possible fight next year, the fight purist in me sat back and wondered: Why?

McGregor sent out a series of tweets suggesting that a comeback fight with UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria was indeed not true, and instead, a fight with the ex-YouTuber-turned-boxer Logan Paul is in the works.

The rumors of a bout with topurio are false. I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India.
I have agreed.
I will then seek my return to the Octagon.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 17, 2024

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"The rumors of a bout with [Topuria] are false," McGregor wrote. "I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India. I have agreed. I will then seek my return to the Octagon."

Paul, who seems to only compete in boxing exhibition matches, teased the fight himself in a since-deleted Instagram story on the same day.

Renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani revealed the ongoing rumblings, which is staggering considering McGregor's civil case and long layoff from combat sports.

If the fight were to happen, it would be a disgrace to combat sports. Not only does it mock combat sports, but it also disrespects the art form of boxing. Sadly, this side-show will overshadow a heavyweight title fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, a rematch that takes place on Saturday.

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Why a Conor McGregor vs. Logan Paul Boxing Match is a Bad Idea For Combat Sports — Jul 10, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Conor McGregor is carried off a stretcher following an injury suffered against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Not to mention the fact that McGregor vs. Michael Chandler, a fight that has been teased, announced, and confirmed over three years, died thanks to a McGregor injury weeks before UFC 303. A UFC return, which seemed inevitable at this time last year, looks dead. So does any opportunity to win another championship.

McGregor last won an MMA fight in Jan. 2020 and has gone eight years without winning a title fight. The Irishman's dominance is non-exsistent, and now, it's just a never-ending cycle of what he could have become.

As for Paul, he has nothing to lose. So for him taking the fight, there's no risk involved. People will tune in regardless, and that's the nature of the fight business today.

This story is ongoing, but in any event, it could become the biggest combat sports event next year, and for all parties involved, that's what everybody wants.

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