Easy work? Conor McGregor posts picture of him and Paulie Malignaggi in 'the fight before THE fight'
A picture tells a thousand words
"They say I've got no hands"
https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/888334549008003073
Backstory
The feud between McGregor and Malignaggi goes back to December of last year. When Conor McGregor announced his intention to fight Floyd Mayweather, two time world champion Paulie 'The Magic Man' Malignaggi took it as an insult to boxing,
You really gonna disrespect the sport of boxing like that then I'll like to be the one to teach you a lesson.... I know you apologised about absolutely fucking nothing after your last fight, but after I'm done with you, I'm gonna knock the beard off of you homie, you're gonna be apologising for everything.
A few days later, after word got back, Conor responded in typical Conor fashion,
Who the fuck is that guy? I don't know who the fuck that is!... but I'll slap the nose off, if he ever mentions my name again.
The "beef" between McGregor and Malignaggi was on, and Paulie wasn't backing down,
"Who the fuck does he think he's going to scare in a boxing ring... I put the camera guy against him and it would be competitive in a boxing ring..."
Interim
While Conor went back and forth with Malignaggi in public, in private the ink was drying on the deal that setup the lucrative Maywether- McGregor fight. The feud between McGregor and Malignaggi had taken a backseat a much more lucrative encounter.
Resurrected beef
Fast forward 8 months and Paulie Malignaggi had been relegated to the role of a Showtime commentator on the press build-up to one of the biggest events in combat sport history. However in an unexpected twist, news emerged that trash-talking Malignaggi was being drafted into the McGregor camp as a sparing partner.
The nature of the arrangement was unclear, however it was clear that Conor hadn't forgotten his war of words with Malignaggi,
Paulie talked a load of shit. He's been bought in to spar and then he'll answer to what he's been saying. And we'll go from there after that. But we're gonna have a knock in the gym.
Malignaggi wasn't phased by McGregor looking to put a beating on him in sparring and responded in kind,
Either way, your intention for sparring is to be violent... By him talking like that, he's making himself look like a sparring partner. I'm gonna give him good work.
Aftermath
From the picture it looks like McGregor gave Malignaggi at least as good as he got. Even Paulie admits,
Eight rounds, good work. I can’t disclose too much but McGregor is no dummy... There’s a method to his madness. He has an idea of what he wants to do and how he wants to do it, he’s not clueless. He’s not your conventional boxer by any means but he’s capable and his power is good. Whether that can be effective is up to him, but he’s no dummy!
So from ultra-sceptic, Malignaggi tune has changed radically now he's been in the ring with McGregor. I won't be running to the bookie to put bet on however Conor has clearly earned some respect from The Magic Man after their first spar.
Let's not get it confused. Malignaggi is no Mayweather. The now retired Malignaggi is not even Malignaggi of a few years ago, let alone prime Malignaggi. However slowly but surely Conor is chipping away at the perception that he is way out of his depth in this Mayweather fight. 8 months ago Malignaggi had stated that a May-Mac fight would be like 'taking someone random out of the stands and putting in with Floyd.' Now 'there's method to [Conor]'s madness.'
That's the McGregor effect.
His fighting career is littered with examples of where he has defied conventional wisdom to do the improbable. Will the Mayweather fight be the crowning glory of McGregor defying nay-sayers?
All will be revealed on August 26th.
Whatever the reality of McGregor's abilities in a boxing ring. This kind of publicity, pictures of McGregor seemingly ridiculing former boxing world champions in sparring, will not do ticket sales any harm at all!
And that, as always, is the bottom line!
Great post man. As real fight fans know, movement, angles and timing are everything in boxing, and while Floyd is incredibly gifted in all three areas, he'll be facing something he's never seen before with Mac. Floyd will figure it out, but it will take several rounds to do so, and that is where I think Mac can prove to be quite dangerous, in the first 3-4 rounds.
Mac's movement is very different than most MMA fighters. It's not as awkward as a Wonderboy Thompson, but it's still gives fighters a lot of trouble.
He's also great at using different angles, especially when counter punching. Just ask Eddie Alvarez, he didn't even see half those punches coming.
Mac's timing is also incredible as he focuses more on timing and accuracy than loading up and throwing power shots.
I know Conor can bring in who he wants to spar with, but no one will really give him a good look for what he'll be seeing August 26th, but then again maybe father time has caught up to Floyd a bit, b/c sooner or later, it catches up to all of us.
This is more of a publicity stunt than anything else, Mayweather coming out of retirement in his 40's to fight a 23 year old is what everyone was asking for when they saw a MMA fighter challenge Mayweather.
I have been watching and loving Mayweather fights for years, he knows how to put on a show.
The fight is going to go down, but with so many looking to watch from the boxing fans to the MMA fans Is genius.
Mayweather wins no matter what. He was retired, now he is coming out to make hundreds of millions. Connor makes the most he has ever made.
What I don't like is how low everyone has become.
Society yelling obscenities, calling each other all kinds or slurs.
This is the problem with today's society, it's all about fuck you, your a pussy, and all this in front of the children you want to grow up with respect?
Look, the fight is going so go down, Mayweather will be ready, but this shit talk cussing and Connors disrespect to anyone and everyone may be just a show, but with society looking at it like it's cool to act or talk like that is just unacceptable.
This. I hope the fight isn't a let-down, but I bet it is. mcgregor has been knocked out before. mayweather knows how to take hits and is undefeated.
I agree. This is where MMA and boxing promotions could take a lesson from pro wrestling. Obviously, Wrestling is all a 'work" (fake) but in the build-up to the matches, there are faces AND heels. It seems to me most fighters today are acting like heels and very few are faces. A good face can be a role model to the youth.
Two of the biggest marketing fighters doing there thang! With all this action, I can this fight make a billion dollars... interesting times. This can bigger than the Super Bowl, maybe 😏😂
Resteemed This Badboy!
Damnnnn this was INTENSEEEE!!! "I'm gonna knock the beard off of you homie"
I don't trust soul-less ginger Connors with one N.
It doesn't matter who wins or loses this fight. Both participants get millions of dollars.
Tell me I'm wrong. 😎
McGregor will... win! Haha
I really think it's gonna be a lot better than the conventional boxing so called analysts say. Conor has unbelievable power, precision, & timing. Pair that up with some mma/boxing strategy, & Floyd's not gonna know whether it was the right or the left that hit him.
Huh, can't wait for that fight! All Mcgregor fights so entertaining..
McGregor will win!