Former two division world champion and Showtime analyst Paulie Malignaggi has long cautioned that UFC superstar Conor McGregor would be taking a very dangerous risk by entering the world of boxing with his first fight coming against five division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The fight was being mentioned for months, and nobody thought it would happen - but shockingly it was finalized on Wednesday with Mayweather reaching a deal to face McGregor on August 26th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The fight will be carried by Showtime Pay-Per-View. 

According to Malignaggi, McGregor has the potential to become a good boxer - but only after several years of proper training and building him the right way.

"There's so many small decisions that go into the overall big picture," said Malignaggi to the Washington Post. "Understanding that part of the decision-making in boxing takes years. That's where I worry for Conor. I don't worry for Conor's ability. . . . If you bring up Conor McGregor the right way in boxing, maybe over several years, maybe you can develop him into a world-class fighter. Maybe. But to do this all at once is very, very difficult."

"People will say, 'He doesn't have to watch for kicks. He doesn't have to watch for takedowns.' But to understand your way around the ring, to know when it's time to punch, to not punch, when to dictate pace or back off, those are things that you'd need years in boxing to really understand."

The fight is scheduled for twelve rounds, which are three minutes long. McGregor is used to fighting three to five UFC-style rounds, which are five minutes long. If McGregor gets tired, he won't have the ability to kill time like he does in the UFC's cage.

"That's the thing, you don't get to rest when you want to rest. If you're not the boss in there, you don't get to choose when you rest and when you fight. Floyd will understand the fatigue and panic you're feeling, and he'll force you to fight when you don't want to fight. It's not as simple as, 'Oh, he has a big left hand,'" Malignaggi said.

The only scenario that may help McGregor - is if Mayweather turns completely old overnight. Mayweather is now 40-years-old, he hasn't fought in two years, and McGregor is a bigger man - with the contest taking place at the junior middleweight limit of 154-pounds.

"That's Conor's wild card," Malignaggi said. "Floyd is 40 years old, hasn't fought in a while. History tells us that's not a good thing. Reflexes slow down. Maybe you're not as mentally sharp. Sometimes it can take just one big shot."