With Pacquiao out, Australian politician targets Conor McGregor as opponent for Jeff Horn

Back in early July, Jeff Horn defeated Manny Pacquiao with a hotly debated unanimous decision. Given the nature of Horn’s victory, plans for a rematch were quickly laid out for November 12. Regrettably, Pacquiao’s political duties have forced him out of this planned rematched, which has forced Horn and his team to begin hunting for a new opponent.

Horn himself has suggested Jessie Vargas as a possible replacement.

“I’m frustrated,” the boxer told Reuters of Pacquiao’s withdrawal. “I’m kind of annoyed that it’s taken this long to make a decision but, look, that’s boxing, I’m figuring out that now. That’s what happens at the top of the game, guys mess around with you a lot.”

“[Jesse] Vargas is a fight that we’d definitely take,” he added. “He’s a tough competitor and he’s been world champion, he’s held my belt just before Pacquiao, so he’d definitely be a tough fight and worthy opponent.”

In the opinion of the premier of the Australian province of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk, however, there’s an even better choice for Pacquiao’s replacement than Vargas: UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor.

“Frankly, I think [Pacquiao’s] a bit too scared to come and face Jeff Horn,”Palaszczuk told the media in Brisbane (via news.com.au.) “For Manny not to reappear, really says to me that he knows Jeff is the world champion.”

“If we could get McGregor, that would be great,” she added. 

Though McGregor is extremely accomplished as a mixed martial artist, he’s a paltry 0-1 as a pro boxer, having lost his debut in a blockbuster showdown with Floyd Mayweather on August 26. That said, the Irish star has hinted at a return to the boxing ring in the future – though Paulie Malignaggi seems like a far more likely opponent than Jeff Horn.

Do you want to see Conor McGregor box Jeff Horn?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 9/4/2017.