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McGregor says he's open to De La Hoya's boxing 'challenge'

Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile / Getty

Conor McGregor is apparently willing to square off with Oscar De La Hoya in the boxing ring.

Earlier this week, former world boxing champion De La Hoya told CBS Sports' Brian Campbell that he'd beat McGregor within two rounds in a boxing match. The Irishman responded to him Thursday on Twitter.

"I accept your challenge, Oscar De La Hoya," McGregor wrote.

De La Hoya hasn't competed as a professional since 2008 when he lost to Manny Pacquiao by corner stoppage. The 47-year-old established the boxing organization Golden Boy Promotions in 2002 and put his full focus on it after he retired.

McGregor, a former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion, crossed over to boxing in 2017 to face Floyd Mayweather in one of the most lucrative combat sports bouts of all time, losing by 10th-round TKO.

In MMA, McGregor is coming off a 40-second TKO win over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in January. He was expected to return to the Octagon in July before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the promotion's schedule and put much of the sports world on hold.

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