The Taken star and the fighter were both guests on U.S. chat show Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Neeson, who once narrated a documentary about the sportsman's life, jumped at the chance to meet one of his heroes backstage.

He says, "I met Muhammad Ali many, many years ago and I had the exact same feeling - my two knees were going like that (shaking)... I love boxing."

And now Neeson is determined to get to Pacquiao's fight with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in May (15), adding, "I will do anything to get there. I'm shooting a film with Martin Scorsese in Taiwan and I'm contracted until the end of April, so hopefully he'll shoot fast."