Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao has signed for sports management company Paradigm Sports Management, whose highest-profile client is none other than the man he wants to face in the ring, Conor McGregor.
McGregor's manager – and head of Paradigm SM – Audie Attar announced the signing via social media on Tuesday night, sparking rumors of a possible boxing clash between the pair.
Pacquiao's team are known to be keen on facing McGregor in the boxing ring in 2020, while McGregor himself told reporters at UFC 246 that talks were ongoing over a potential boxing match between the pair.
And the fact that the two fighters are now represented by the same company means that matchup should, in theory, be a much easier bout to make, has meant that fans on social media have started to call for the fight to be made while McGregor waits for the winner of the UFC lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 in April.
One fan tweeted, "McGregor fight sorted while he waits on winner of Khabib v Tony," while another asked, "greasing the wheels for a mcgregor showdown?"
Another said simply, "#macpac get it done."
Could the move mean that a McGregor-Pacquiao fight is imminent, or has Attar simply just added another big-hitter to his star-studded roster that includes big names from the UFC, the NFL and now boxing?
Whichever way you assess it, it's fair to say that business just kicked up another gear for the already-successful manager.
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