5 reasons Conor McGregor will retire if he loses to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264

#4. Conor McGregor returns to boxing

Floyd Mayweather Jr. v Conor McGregor

With the current excitement in boxing - brought along by the injection of social media celebrities into the sport - McGregor may find easier money-making opportunities in the squared circle.

We just saw Anderson Silva defeat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., a former WBC middleweight champion.

Dude... Anderson Silva just beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr by decision IN MEXICO at his Chavez Jr.'s father's event.That is unfathomable.

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 20, 2021

That alone would motivate any MMA fighter to dip their toes into the sport, let alone one who already has.

A super-fight between Conor McGregor and Manny Pacquiao would be enough to get the Irishman to jump back into the boxing ring.

#3. Khabib Nurmagomedov is retired now

UFC 229: Khabib v McGregor Press Conference

When Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement, it was as if Batman had told the world he was no longer fighting crime, and The Joker, in this case, Conor McGregor, lost his purpose in life.

Khabib and McGregor were in a very heated and personal rivalry between 2017 and 2018 that culminated in the biggest PPV event in UFC history.

Good performance @TeamKhabib. I will carry on. Respect and condolences on your father again also. To you and family. Yours sincerely, The McGregors.

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) October 24, 2020

Since then, Conor McGregor has vowed he will do whatever it takes to win a rematch against Khabib.

However, the former undefeated UFC lightweight champion announced his retirement in October 2020 following the loss of his father and trainer, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

When that happened, Conor McGregor lost his sense of purpose. When he returned to the UFC over a year ago, he had made it clear that defeating Khabib was his target.

With his goal now unachievable, does Conor McGregor still have the desire to continue in this brutal sport?