Conor McGregor Sparring Partner Quits After Beatdown Pics Leaked Online

Despite what these photos suggest, Paulie Malignaggi claims he beat Conor’s ass.

Adam K. Raymond

Aug 4, 2017

Paulie Malignaggi, a two-time boxing world champion who retired in March, has abruptly quit his role as one of Conor McGregor’s sparring partners after pictures surfaced that appeared to show the UFC superstar wiping the floor with the guy who spent 16 years as a pro boxer.

There no conspiracy, there no photoshop just pure unadulterated power pic.twitter.com/sqQoc3zgrn

— Dave Fogarty (@DavidGbd) August 4, 2017

https://twitter.com/DavidGbd/status/893175962740736000 https://www.instagram.com/p/BXWSLydFEEI

These pictures, from McGregor’s personal photog, sent Malignaggi into a rage. As he claimed on Twitter, he actually outboxed McGregor’s ass in the ring and these photos are of the few moments when the Irishman actually looked good. And that one on top? It was a pushdown not a knockdown, or so Malignaggi says.

I came to help this camp out, not to be exploited, now your gonna get the truth though. Post FULL UNEDITED VIDEO FROM TUES night #Ethics

— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 4, 2017

I actually beat his ass, 24 hrsoff a flight 2 lol, which is why Im saying post the vid, I try not 2 be petty but seems it's late 4 that now. https://t.co/vSE2Iw4ffM

— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 4, 2017

Malignaggi has actually been complimentary of McGregor. After their first sparring session, Malignaggi told ESPN, “He’s got some pop in the left hand, I can’t take that away from him.” He conceded that McGregor looks unconventional in the ring, but said that “there’s a method to his madness.”

After these pictures leaked though, the kind words ended. Malignaggi tweeted that he “beat the breaks” off of McGregor and hinted that McGregor hiring him as a sparring partner was a set-up from the beginning. He elaborated on that point in an interview with ESPN:

“Usually all sparring is private. I show up at the UFC headquarters and [former owner, Lorenzo] Fertitta is there. [UFC president] Dana White is there. So, I’m thinking these guys are thinking they’ll catch me right off the flight, set me up for him to look good in front of his audience. I didn’t like that. I kind of went in with a chip on my shoulder.”

Nah I pretty much talked shit that whole sparring session while I beat the breaks off him, the push down was his frustration from it. https://t.co/m0IDBP0pB2

— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 4, 2017

Hate to say it but it's clear when I look back at my time there that there was an agenda from the start, too many clues. https://t.co/dxjLvu3Oyt

— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 4, 2017

Malignaggi also posted a more thorough explanation for what went wrong, but ended it like a gentleman, wishing McGregor well in his preparations for the fight.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXWzAcfgGwI