Former world champion fighter Paulie Malinaggi declared that UFC contender Conor McGregor to be ‘terrible’ at boxing.
McGregor was last seen in the Octagon a few years ago when he lost his trilogy rematch to Dustin Poirier, needing surgery to repair a broken leg.
He has threatened a return ever since, and has also been linked with a money-spinning exhibition boxing bout, should the right opponent be found, but a combat bout of any sort remains unconfirmed.
Speaking to Lord Ping, Malinaggi reflected on the pair’s sparring session.
He said: “He's terrible at boxing, awful. There's a reason that after six years you've only seen six seconds of my sparring with him. That's not by accident. Had he had any sort of accomplishment or success against me you'd have seen the whole thing already.
“I think the Manny fight would sell but he wouldn't be competitive at all against Pacquiao, plus Pacquiao has a lot of power and that's the last thing you lose. Plus McGregor doesn't have a very good chin or desire.
“Pacquiao would throw combinations and go at McGregor in a very offensive way and I don't think it's the right option for McGregor. He'd once again become a punching bag. How many times will he go to the well and then have to rescue himself from this punching bag image? He's like a mercenary. If he continues to fight and allows himself to get beat up like this, he's got no self-pride at all.
“He's basically the same as a mercenary, allowing himself to get railed by everyone for money. This guy is the fighter's equivalent of that. Getting his ass kicked left, right, and centre just for a few bucks. He's the fighter's version of a mercenary if that's what he keeps doing.”
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