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Kavanagh confirms McGregor-Pacquiao talks: 'I believe it will happen'

Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Conor McGregor's head coach, John Kavanagh, confirmed Sunday that his fighter is in talks to face Manny Pacquiao in a boxing match.

Although the bout remains unfinalized, Kavanagh says he understands the former UFC two-division champion and Pacquiao have both agreed to fight each other.

"I do know it's in the works," Kavanagh told Boxing ProductionsTV. "I believe both boxers have agreed fundamentally. Now, behind the scenes, there's a lot of terms and conditions, and legal teams and managers (that) have to work out the fine details.

"But I believe it will happen. When exactly, I'm not sure. I think it might be early next year. But yeah, the wheels are in motion, and it looks like I'm going to be coaching boxing again."

McGregor's manager, Audie Attar, told ESPN's Ariel Helwani late last week that the Irishman was in "serious talks" to face Pacquiao in either December or January.

"The Notorious" tweeted the same day that he would be re-entering the world of boxing to take on the Filipino legend.

Pacquiao's assistant, Jayke Joson, confirmed Saturday that negotiations were underway. UFC president Dana White said Saturday night that he had "no idea" if the McGregor-Pacquiao talks were real.

"I'll play a part, but it'll be mostly the likes of Owen (Roddy) and Phil Sutcliffe, the brilliant Phil Sutcliffe, it's Conor's longtime boxing coach from Crumlin Boxing," Kavanagh said when asked what McGregor's training camp would look like for the potential match. "The bulk of the work will be done with those guys, but I always have a hand in there."

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