Ex-two division world champion boxer Paulie Malignaggi was hired by the Conor McGregor camp to get him ready for next weekend’s bout with Floyd Mayweather. I guess feeling like someone who has already lost to Floyd could help better prepare him, McGregor enlisted in Malignaggi’s services & everything was going fine…until it wasn’t.
After just two sparring sessions, photos began to leak showing McGregor seemingly overpowering Malignaggi, and knocking him down on the mat.
UFC President Dana White took it a level further when he released videos on social media showing Malignaggi basically getting his ass whooped by Mcgregor in training sessions.
Always promoting, White likely released the photos to hype the fight and dispute notions that this will be an incredibly predictable & boring fight. However, Malignaggi has his own theories on why White is trying to embarrass him:
“I just kind of brushed him off [at the training camp]. I don’t personally like the guy. I’ve never met him before, but I don’t personally have any respect or like the guy. He was trying to talk to me after [the sparring session], like trying to be friendly. I know what you’re about, bro. Don’t give me this bullsh*t. Don’t get mad now, because I punked you and I don’t want to talk to you, and during the sparring session I was yelling at you and telling you how useless your fighter was. Don’t be childish.”
He also went on to accuse White of “robbing fighters blind” when it comes to fight checks:
“Dana is funny. I already know about Dana – Dana robs the UFC fighters blind. I’ve never met an MMA fighter that actually likes Dana or had anything good to say. I’m still looking for one. When Dana comes up in conversation, I’ve yet to hear anybody say, ‘Wow, that guy’s great.’ Or, ‘That guy treats us so good.’ Or, ‘That guy’s a good guy.’ I’m not going to hold my breath, or I might turn blue. So I would expect that,” Malignaggi told MMA Junkie Radio.
For his part, Dana White is giving his own explanation about why he released the camp footage..sort of:
Via Sky Sports:
“Let me tell you what,” White said. “I was there for all twelve rounds, and Paulie has said some crazy things, some bad things about me — I felt sorry for the guy. It was a one way beating. A lot of people are saying Conor couldn’t box, Paulie was obviously lying about everything he was saying about the sparring match, so I released it.
If you’re wondering why White won’t settle the argument & release the whole tape, he answers that as well:
“I got no problem releasing the full tape,” White continued. “The problem is Conor doesn’t want Mayweather to see everything he’s doing and working on. Those were just some clips. It was very one sided, it was an absolute beating, and guess what? I think it was the right thing to do for Paulie Malignaggi to leave. For his healths sake.”
Even if the reports of McGregor overpowering Malignaggi the entire fight are true, it doesn’t really change how I feel the fight will go. Boxers worlds more talented & experienced than both McGregor & Malignaggi haven’t been able to consistently land shots on Floyd so I’ll have to SEE McGregor do something different before I can even begin to think it’ll be an actual competitive fight.
Flip the page to see video of McGregor giving Malignaggi the business in sparring: