UFC superstar Conor McGregor has been granted a professional boxing licence by the California State Athletic Commission, it was reported overnight.
The magnetic Irishman recently made UFC history by becoming the first fighter to hold titles in two weight divisions simultaneously when he stopped lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez in New York.
Afterward he revealed his partner is pregnant with their first child, adding weight to the speculation that he is set for a break from fighting.
However multiple sources have confirmed that McGregor successfully applied for a boxing licence in California, sparking rampant speculation that he will make a switch of code.
Breaking: Conor McGregor has been issued a boxing license in the state of California, per his manager @AudieAttar.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 1, 2016
Naturally, attention has turned to a potential fight with retired pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather given the pair’s traded barbs and frequent discussion of a crossover meeting.
However Las Vegas resident Mayweather exclusively fights in Nevada and any potential comeback he may make is all but certainly going to take place in Sin City.
McGregor was recently stripped of his UFC featherweight title, which he claimed by knocking out all-time great Jose Aldo in 13 seconds, prompting criticism from the Irishman’s team.
While an immediate fight with Mayweather looks unlikely, McGregor could be aiming to carve out some sort of career in boxing, having started out as a novice amateur at the Krumlin Boxing Club in Dublin before he took up mixed martial arts.
However, it is relatively easy to get a licence in California and McGregor’s latest move could all be a ploy to keep him in the news and keep the UFC’s new owners on their toes.
