Conor McGregor versus Floyd Mayweather is the most anticipated boxing match in modern history.
The UFC giant with a larger than life ego will be facing off with the undefeated and legendary Floyd Mayweather in what's expected to be a record shattering brawl in Las Vegas on August 26th of this month.
So it comes as a major shock to those inside the squared circle and outside the arena that McGregor’s sparring partner has abruptly decided to end his commitment to the McGregor camp this close to fight night.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🤔 but then he got his ass whooped 😂 <a href="https://t.co/O6Mj3KjzPD">pic.twitter.com/O6Mj3KjzPD</a></p>— Conor McGregor News (@ConormcGregor5) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConormcGregor5/status/893696614052876288">August 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Thursday evening, the former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi announced he would no longer be a part of the team as McGregor's sparring partner, apparently referencing leaked photographs of a recent sparring session that have gone viral online, citing them as highly “misleading”.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Power <a href="https://t.co/Dltbe2wFCl">pic.twitter.com/Dltbe2wFCl</a></p>— Conor McGregor News (@ConormcGregor5) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConormcGregor5/status/893501357314908162">August 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://t.co/anPzy8qWMj">pic.twitter.com/anPzy8qWMj</a></p>— Susan (@SoozieOozie) <a href="https://twitter.com/SoozieOozie/status/893547966727954433">August 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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McGregor, who has up until this fight never boxed as a professional, has so far twice sparred with Malignaggi to prepare for his upcoming fight with Floyd Mayweather.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ghostie <a href="https://t.co/ViSNzrWV0J">pic.twitter.com/ViSNzrWV0J</a></p>— Conor McGregor News (@ConormcGregor5) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConormcGregor5/status/893259037520912384">August 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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"I came to help this campout, not to be exploited," Malignaggi said on Twitter.
On Tuesday, McGregor and Malignaggi engaged in their final sparring session. There were several photographers and camera operators, mostly from McGregor's camp, and then the photos surfaced on the internet.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Paulie Malignaggi claims Conor McGregor doesn't have huge power, just "get your attention power". <a href="https://t.co/W9p5iujZ2a">pic.twitter.com/W9p5iujZ2a</a></p>— Conor McGregor News (@ConormcGregor5) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConormcGregor5/status/893220237285445636">August 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Malignaggi was angry and betrayed over the photos that wound up online, suggesting that they're intentionally snapshotted to show him being hit by McGregor as propaganda.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:39.65163934426229% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXWSLydFEEI/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">This was the most intense sparring session that I've ever seen 😯#ufc #boxing #conormcgregor #thenotorious #thenotoriousmma #lasvegas #ireland #mayweathermcgregor #nikon #ufcphotos</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Brandon Magnus Photography (@brandonmagnus_photo) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-08-03T22:20:30+00:00">Aug 3, 2017 at 3:20pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>
While the images clearly show a badly bloodied and bruised Malignaggi, he goes on Twitter claiming that there is full footage of the fight and he actually “beat his ass”, claiming that Conor has no power.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">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. <a href="https://t.co/vSE2Iw4ffM">https://t.co/vSE2Iw4ffM</a></p>— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulMalignaggi/status/893284022964559872">August 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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He's now challenging the UFC who had cameras in the building during the session to release the full tapes. Anyone outside of UFC employees wasn't allowed to film the training session.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">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 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ethics?src=hash">#Ethics</a></p>— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulMalignaggi/status/893263526134816769">August 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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In a statement on Twitter, Malignaggi said, "Conor and I have a mutual respect inside the ring, earned from each other with some good work over two sparring sessions."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/DTJ0MQMSlv">pic.twitter.com/DTJ0MQMSlv</a></p>— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulMalignaggi/status/893307628381712385">August 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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However, during an interview with ESPN on Thursday night that he wanted to distance himself from the entire situation.
"I wanted to be part of this event, but I didn't want to become the story, and that's what this has turned into," he said. "I won't release any information about his game plan or what he's working on. I wouldn't do that. But this has become a fiasco. It's a circus."
The McGregor camp has yet to respond to any of Malignaggi's formal challenges to release the tape. Both men will be in Las Vegas on August 26th for McGregor's major boxing debut.
Source:
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/conor-mcgregors-sparring-partner-quit-165207680.html
Another fighter who can take one on the chin in the ring, just not on social media for he sake of promoting the fight he signed up to help with.
Sad to see ego get in the way of professionalism and showmanship.