Conor McGregor's old sparring partner says he'll "beat the s---" out of him if the Irishman really wants to compete in boxing again.
Former two-weight world champion boxer Paulie Malignaggi wants to punch McGregor in the head as he's still angry about an incident during a training camp ahead of the Irishman's fight with Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
McGregor recruited Malignaggi, a renowned slickster, to mimic Mayweather in his gym but the New Yorker left the camp after a matter of days, disgusted that the Dubliner's team leaked footage of a session in which Malignaggi appeared to be knocked down by a McGregor shot.
Malignaggi has insisted that McGregor's footage was edited to make the mixed martial artist look good, ahead of his 10th round loss to Mayweather.
All the American wants is payback, proposing a winner-take-all boxing rules contest so he can try and settle the score. "It will be a pleasure to beat that guy up," Malignaggi told Boxing Scene. "There would be a lot of money in the pot. I would rather let the winner take it all.
"He's dragged my name too much in the mud. He knows he will get the s--- beat out of him if he tries me. Him and I both know that. He gets stopped, 100%, no doubt about. He can't last the distance in a boxing match."
Since McGregor's one, unsuccessful, boxing venture, he was submitted in the fourth round against Khabib Nurmagomedov in a UFC lightweight world title bout in 2018, but rebounded with a 40-second destruction of Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 earlier this year.
Malignaggi criticized the level of opposition McGregor is currently facing, calling Cerrone "half dead going into the cage."
He then said that he's a bigger name globally in boxing than Cerrone is in MMA.
"I'm a bigger fighter than Cerrone."
McGregor previously expressed interest in boxing Malignaggi
Shortly after his defeat to Nurmagomedov two years ago, McGregor was in Boston to support Irish boxer Katie Taylor. Backstage, the fighter was asked by boxing media whether he'd return to the sport if a bout against Malignaggi was tempting him.
As Malignaggi had been trolling him for the better part of a year, McGregor said, yes, he was interested.
McGregor's trainer John Kavanagh also said earlier this year that he expects his athlete to return to the ring. When asked if McGregor could box in 12 to 18 months' time, Kavanagh said: "I'd be surprised if he doesn't. He loves boxing. He loved training for the Mayweather fight."
Ahead of his January fight with Cerrone, McGregor said there had been discussions with Manny Pacquiao — a boxing super-fight which could generate $250 million.
But Malignaggi dismissed the match to Boxing Scene. "Pacquiao obliterates McGregor in one round."
Instead, he wants to entice McGregor into a fight with him even though, he says, the end result will be the same.
"If he's going to fight either of us in a boxing match, he'll be exposed."
Read more:
Justin Gaethje would 'destroy' Conor McGregor in a single round, according to a UFC champion
