Conor McGregor announces Logan Paul fight out of nowhere as shock venue named for mega-fight

Conor McGregor has taken to X to announce his next fight, denying speculation he is set to face Ilia Topuria in the UFC.

On Tuesday morning, the Irishman claimed he has made an agreement to take on WWE superstar Logan Paul, brother of foe Jake, in a boxing exhibition contest.

According to McGregor, it will take place in India and is being backed by the Ambanis, who have a £239 billion empire and are the richest family in Asia.

He wrote: "The rumors of a bout with topurio [sic] are false. I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India.

I have agreed. I will then seek my return to the Octagon."

McGregor has not fought since July 2021 when he broke his leg in a trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier.

McGregor's claim follows on from a post on Saturday when he shared footage of him training in jiu jitsu, telling fans that "training is going great" and that he was "hoping for some good news to break".

McGregor was previously scheduled to make his UFC return against Michael Chandler in a welterweight bout at UFC 303 before pulling out due to a broken toe suffered in sparring.

But major doubts over the Irishman's future in the promotion have been raised as last month, a jury of eight women and four men found McGregor liable for the assault of Nikita Hand in a hotel in 2018.

McGregor denied allegations that he had choked Hand three times and "brutally raped and battered" her but was forced pay damages of €250,000 after losing the civil court case.

Although he said he would be appealing the verdict, McGregor since been dropped from the Hitman 3 video game by producers IO Interactive as a result out of the case's outcome, while Proximo Spirits, who own Proper Twelve whiskey, have distanced themselves from association with the 36-year-old.

Conor McGregor was found liable of assault and forced to pay damages of €250,000. Image: Getty

The former two-weight UFC champion has regularly gone back and forth with the younger Paul brother, Jake, who beat Mike Tyson in a record-breaking event in November.

But it appears as though he will be taking on elder sibling Logan, who faced Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition contest in June 2021.