Paulie Malignaggi has delivered a scathing assessment on Conor McGregor.
The former boxing world champion infamously sparred with ‘The Notorious’ ahead of his clash with Floyd Mayweather and footage was released of him getting dropped by the Irishman.
Footage of Connor McGregor @thenotoriousmma dropping bombs on Pauly Malignaggi during sparring #ConnorMcGregor #McGregor #MayMac #Boxing pic.twitter.com/phkZus7t9e
— Houston Sports Focus (@HouSportsFocus) August 12, 2017
The pair have continued to feud ever since and Malignaggi hasn’t held back when discussing the former UFC double-champ.
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Speaking to Action Network, he said: “I’m a better trash talker than McGregor, that’s one of the reasons he did not fight me. I would have trashed him in the press conferences and the fight.
“It would have ended all of the hysteria around him because I would have destroyed him in the trash talking and in the ring.
“I would have ruined the whole aura around him. He was smart not to pull the trigger on a fight with me.”
He continued: “McGregor was lucky to achieve what he achieved in his career, physically and talent wise he’s up there, but just because you can do a bunch of high kicks from a Jean Claude Van Dam movie, doesn’t mean you’re a fighter; you need guts, you need a willingness to succeed, you need a willingness to enter the trenches and if you don’t have that, you’re going to fade.
‘We’ve talked about AJ losing that edge, but McGregor is on a different level. McGregor will quit on you, he does quit.
“AJ does not take as many risks anymore but at least he’s not quitting. McGregor is an outright quitter.
“He is a fighter that was not as good as advertised, there was great marketing behind him.
“And the money he’s made now isn’t helping, so you’ve got a problem – all he’s going to do is continue to be a punching bag.
“If you’re a punching bag in your twenties, you’ll definitely be a punching bag in your thirties.”
