UFC News: Paulie Malignaggi challenges Conor McGregor to Bare-Knuckle fight
Former boxing world champion Paulie Malignaggi hasn't given up hope of one day getting his hands on Conor McGregor inside a boxing ring, and has sensationally challenged McGregor to a 'winner-takes-all' match-up in the future.
Bad Blood
The well-publicized animosity between McGregor and Malignaggi dates back to the summer of 2017 when Malignaggi was hired to be a sparring partner for McGregor as he prepared to face Floyd Mayweather in 'The Money Fight'.
Malignaggi took exception to footage that was leaked by McGregor's camp, which appeared to show the McGregor dropping the former champ to the ground - Malignaggi claims the footage was not indicative of how the session actually played out.
It was thought that the feud between McGregor and Malignaggi had finally been buried earlier this year, when McGregor's teammate Artem Lobov earned a sensation victory over Malignaggi in their bare-knuckle boxing match at BKFC 5. However, it would appear that Paulie has other ideas...
The Challenge
During a recent interview on the UK radio station TalkSport, Malignaggi revealed that he still holds hopes of one day fighting McGregor, despite his recent loss to Lobov...
'The whole having no guts and being a quitter. Nobody knew that and in the past few years all he's done is prove me right. I think he knew subliminally that I was always right about him and I think he didn't like it. I'd fight him winner takes all, I've said that for years. Whoever loses doesn't get a penny, I'd be all for that. In the Octagon he beats me, come on. We can do it bare-knuckle, we can do it boxing.' (TalkSport)
As things stand, it seems highly unlikely that a McGregor v Malignaggi fight will be announced any time soon, least of all in a bare-knuckle fight - where Malignaggi's reputation is already tarnished.
A traditional boxing match between the two seems like a much more suitable and likely medium for the pair to settle their differences, should McGregor ever follow through with his desire to one day return to boxing.