Conor McGregor is busy with the final few days of preparation for the biggest fight of his life. On August 26th, McGregor takes on boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. in what is expected to be the richest fight in boxing history. It is the first time in history the best of MMA has a chance to go up against the absolute best in boxing.
However, even though Mayweather and McGregor have yet to fight, another bout is looming on the horizon for the Irishman.
To help with his preparations for his first professional boxing match McGregor enlisted the aid of Paulie Malignaggi. Malignaggi is himself a former multiple division boxing world champion. As such, Malignaggi was expected to play a great factor in McGregor’s training camp.
McGregor and Malignaggi falling out
After two sparring sessions however, Malignaggi stormed out of the McGregor camp in disgust. The boxer complained of McGregor spreading false stories that he got the better of Malignaggi in sparring. In a series of Instagram photos, McGregor posted still shots of himself tagging Malignaggi with clean shots.
Malignaggi of course has had a negative reaction. Although he admits getting hit by McGregor and losing the final two rounds of a 12-round sparring session. Malignaggi remains firm that he won the majority of rounds and even dared McGregor to release actual footage.
The knockdown in question
One of the most pivotal topics of debate is a questionable “knockdown” that McGregor scored over Malignaggi. McGregor claimed to have knocked down Malignaggi with a punch, but the boxer vehemently denied saying it was a ‘push down’. To put that debate to rest, UFC President Dana White released actual footage of the knockdown on his official Instagram account.
Based on a very short clip, it does appear that McGregor hit Malignaggi with a clean shot that caused the knockdown. Malignaggi remains adamant that it was a push down. Although he did go on to reiterate that he did lose the last two rounds of the sparring session.
Winner take all. If hes that much better than me at this Boxing shit as an edited video shows well I'd be fighting for free right? #Suckers https://t.co/Ya350Pgo3r
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 13, 2017
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Easiest $$$ I would ever make in my life. We could do winner take all, he had everyone fooled that his Boxing was that good from edited vids https://t.co/jg9Pak3qbc
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 13, 2017
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Winner takes all. First though Someone at least teach the guy how to shadowbox in the very least b4 he actually competes in 2 weeks lol. https://t.co/uWc3Z8LUaT
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 14, 2017
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Winner take all challenge issued
Obviously irked that he is getting the worst of it on social media, Malignaggi has challenged McGregor to a winner take all bout.
Malignaggi took to Twitter to issue the challenge to the Irishman.
“I don’t need the money, we could do winner takes the whole pot. Based on his footage he should be real confident with a deal like that lol.”
McGregor has stated that he plans to continue boxing as well as his mixed martial arts career after the Mayweather fight. This opens up the possibility of a showdown with Malignaggi regardless of the outcome of the Mayweather bout. Malignaggi is of course retired, but it is conceivable that he could return for this one.
Things are definitely getting intriguing between McGregor and Malignaggi and there is definitely some bad blood. Will McGregor and Malignaggi get it on when all is said and done? It really depends on how the Mayweather bout goes, we digress.
If McGregor can have at least a decent showing, then he may indeed have a future in the Sweet Science.
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