Former two division champion Paulie Malignaggi believes that its very possible that UFC superstar Conor McGregor will box again in the future.
McGregor, who is the biggest name in mixed martial arts, is making his professional boxing debut on August 26th, when he faces the comebacking Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Malignaggi is currently serving as a sparring partner in McGregor's training camp. The contest with Mayweather takes place at the junior middleweight limit of 154-pounds and 10 ounce gloves will be used.
Malignaggi is impressed with McGregor's workrate and accuracy. He also says McGregor has above average punching power.
Mayweather, 40-year-old, returns for the first time since announcing his retirement in September 2015.
Top level boxers are paid far more money than top level fighters in the UFC. It's being estimated that McGregor will make anywhere from $75 to $100 million for the Mayweather fight.
Malignaggi believes that because of the money involved in boxing, and the regulations that protect boxers (which are unavailable in the UFC), McGregor will likely lace up the gloves in the future.
“He'll probably box again,” Malignaggi told the Jim Rome show. “I was thinking the same thing, you can make more money in boxing. We have the Ali Act that we're protected by that, at least, it's not going to prevent you from being screwed 100-percent, but it prevents you from being screwed the way they screw fighters in mixed martial arts.
“So I think there's a possibility that Conor may box again, realizing he can make more money this way, and realizing he can keep a bigger chunk of the percentage of the money that he brings in as opposed to having to share most of it with everybody else. I don't think it's a far fetched conclusion that Conor boxes again, but I think for now the focus on one fight and one person and that should be the Mayweather fight.”