Prior to the fight being announced, two division champion Paulie Malignaggi felt the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor fight was a joke.
His opinion changed after spending time with McGregor in training camp. Malignaggi was brought in as a sparring partner to prepare the UFC superstar for what is going to be his debut in pro boxing, against one of the best defensive boxers in history.
The Showtime Pay-Per-View bout is scheduled for August 26th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
McGregor is a tremendous underdog in the fight. Very few experts, if anyone, are anticipating a competitive contest.
But Malignaggi has become impressed with McGregor's workrate and his abilities as a fighter after trading punches with him in the ring. Malignaggi was sporting a black eye and some facial bruising after their first eight round session.
"It makes me respect McGregor to see his work ethic that he's put into the training camp. Seeing him work hard every day and see that he's really determined to upset the odds," Malignaggi exclusively told Sky Sports.
"When you talk to Conor, at first I started thinking this guy doesn't really think he's going to win this, it's just a 100 million dollar fight for him. Then when you really start to talk to him, you start to realise that this guy really believes it down deep inside his heart and he's got every reason to, because every time he's been doubted in his life he has been able to overcome those odds and win, no matter what it is.
"Come out of poverty, become a UFC champion, become a two-time two-weight UFC champion. Whatever it's been, he's done it. He has no reason to ever doubt himself, because he is yet to be proven wrong. From the outside, we're going to doubt him again, but Conor McGregor doesn't have any doubts in his mind."
