As previously reported on BoxingScene.com, a well-known former sparring partner of Conor McGregor wants a fight against the Irishman, provided he doesn't get embarrassed by Floyd Mayweather next Saturday night.
Former two division world champion Paulie Malignaggi is keen to fight McGregor and settle the bad blood between the two after he quit the UFC star's training camp ahead of his boxing blockbuster with Mayweather on August 26 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Malignaggi left the McGregor camp after a heated dispute over a sparring session, with Paulie becoming furious after pictures of him on the canvas were released on social media, claiming he had hit the deck after a push.
But Malignaggi would like to step into the ring with the UFC superstar again, after McGregor's promoter, UFC President Dana White, released video clips of Malignaggi going down and taking punishment during the spar.
Malignaggi says the footage was edited to create the appearance that McGregor got the better of the spar. The retired fighter says he won the majority of the first ten round, with McGregor winning the last two. However, Malignaggi admits that he was far from being in the best shape coming into this camp.
“You just have to be in shape to take a 12-round beating,” Malignaggi said to Yahoo Sports. “What they’re doing is so adorable and so cute. They’re trying all these sales tactics. His fan base is adorable and cute, because they’re jumping all over it. Everything they say, they’re jumping all over it. They’re so happy to hear this news that he’s supposedly doing great and the video shows this and that’s how it is.
“I’ve never seen such a cult-like following to the point where people are in denial and where the fighter himself doesn’t even believe in himself to that point he’s putting out this fake stuff. He’s afraid the real stuff won’t convince anybody. This entire thing, he’s like the little engine that could. He’s like this adorable guy trying so hard to look like Hercules. He knows nobody believes in him and he’s trying so hard to get people to believe and his minions are trying so hard that they believe anything he says. Dana is the little ringleader.”
Malignaggi finished his boxing career with a 36-8 record, winning the IBF light welterweight and WBA welterweight titles.