This week's Conor McGregor controversy has been in relation to his sparring partner, Paul Malignaggi. The two-time world champion and Showtime analyst walked out on the McGregor camp amid claims of an "agenda" on the Irishman's part. Malignaggi's decision came after photos emerged online from the second sparring session between the two which showed McGregor in a favourable light.
Malignaggi confirmed the news with the release of this statement:
I just wanted to clear the air. I am leaving the McGregor training camp today. I came with best intentions & intended to help out. Just the chance to be part of such a big event in this capacity excited me. I believe Conor & I have a mutual respect inside the ring, earned from each other with some good work over 2 sparring sessions.
It's some of the stuff outside the ring and some ways some things were handled in training camp that I didn't agree with that made me come to this decision. It's not my place to dictate terms in a training camp that is not mine, but it's my place to decide if I I want to be a part of it. I will not give away anything tactical that I saw in 2 sparring sessions with Conor. For what it's worth, they have my word. The things that upset me though I will speak about in time. I wish team McGregor well in the rest of their preparations and look forward to being back in Vegas to work fight week on Showtime.
There could be a few disclosures of exactly what happened on the way, however. Malignaggi unloaded on McGregor in a lengthy tweetstorm last night, in which he again criticised the posting of photos online and his lack of "ethics", and then added detail on McGregor struggled in the ring.
Malignaggi claims that McGregor took an "ass beating" on Tuesday, and skipped a session two days later.
I didn't get paid, I'm not worried about it though. I paid him with the ass beating he recieved from me on Tuesday lol https://t.co/HnsfUGKMKk
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 5, 2017
I did that after Tues work, I suppose the ass whippin didn't suit him so he posted dumb pics again by Thurs while skipping sparring that day https://t.co/e4TuiN1TS9
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 6, 2017
When accused of doing a u-turn on McGregor, having praised him in the past, Malignaggi says that he was trying hard to avoid making McGregor look bad:
Truthfully I was tryin hard 2 not make him look bad but if u listen 2 me b4, the praise is hollow, there wasn't much substance 2 that praise https://t.co/X88XmfIi19
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 6, 2017
That was me trying to do my best to make him seem like he's making progress buddy, I can come out n be open now, good try though. https://t.co/Rcav4qGHqD
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 6, 2017
And he also flagged a weakness on McGregor's part: shots to the body.
Yea but this coming week I'll actually start to discuss a bit what happened Tuesday, he whimpers like a girl when he gets ripped to body lol https://t.co/lfcuILlubJ
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 6, 2017
Thats funny, Nate said Same thing? I wa under impression that maybe it was cause in MMA they don't throw to body much. https://t.co/2qQbtYbUKO
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 6, 2017
In January, Malignaggi had an interesting deconstruction of McGregor the boxer: mainly that he didn't know how to move.
I don't know that Conor even knows how to adapt, because I've seen the sparring videos, and I've watched him moving in directions that he shouldn't be moving in, and putting himself in positions that could be dangerous - where he doesn't even know where he's going.
In his mind, he's just moving around the ring. There's no particular reason behind what he's doing, and if you put him in with a capable boxer, they're going to take advantage of that and put him in dangerous positions.
If you put him in boxing, you probably have to treat him as a prospect, just like the 20-year-old prospects that turn pro and get put through the normal phases. You have to start Conor from the beginning. There's no other way to put it. If Conor intends on winning a fight, he probably can't fight anyone who knows how to box even relatively speaking.
The only way he'll take a risk in boxing is if it's a $100m risk. You may take a beating, but it's worth it because of the money you're doing it for. It's going to totally destroy him. No matter who he boxes, it's going to ruin his image.
