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Mixed Martial Arts

Ricky Hatton explains why Conor McGregor 'needs to' fight Michael Chandler

Ricky Hatton explains why Conor McGregor 'needs to' fight Michael ChandlerDAZN

The "will they or won't they" surrounding a proposed fight between UFC stars Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler continues with no confirmation in sight.

McGregor hasn't stepped into the Octagon since breaking his leg in the first round against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, but the Irish fighter has been making a not of noise about getting back into action and facing Chandler.

The potential fight naturally would be huge for UFC given McGregor's star power, but a former two-weight boxing champion says that the bout is needed by McGregor for much more personal reasons.

Speaking to Instant Casino, former unified light welterweight and WBA welterweight title holder Ricky Hatton explained how his own final fight informed his decision to retire and believes that the 35-year-old McGregor would benefit from at least one more return to the Octagon on similar grounds.

“I had to find out if I still had it and I found out that I did not have it anymore," Hatton said. 

"And then I went into retirement happy then, having found that out, and I hope Conor McGregor gets the same thing, I hope he wins [against Chandler] and I hope we see him in plenty more fights because he's Mr. Entertainment isn't he?

"But if he hasn't still got it, Conor McGregor will know. Conor will know if he's still got it or not and he'll know if he needs to knock it on the head and to keep doing the other things he does.

"I needed to find out if I still had it against [Vyacheslav] Senchenko and I didn't. And I think Conor's probably reached the same position in his career that I found myself in ten years back."

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