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Conor McGregor dismisses challenge from Paulie Malignaggi

Paulie Malignaggi has been saying he’d like a shot at Conor McGregor now that he’s got a boxing license.

UFC 205: Weigh-ins Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Wil Esco is an assistant editor of Bad Left Hook and has been covering boxing for SB Nation since 2014.

With headlines stirring over Conor McGregor recently being granted a boxing license in California, former welterweight titlist Paulie Malignaggi has willingly thrown his name out there as a possible opponent.

Malignaggi reasons that McGregor cannot realistically believe he deserves a shot a Floyd Mayweather straightaway, given that he has no professional boxing experience, and that McGregor facing someone like him would be a good way for him to test the waters. Of course he also threw in a little more aggressive quote.

"I know you apologize about absolutely f------ nothing, but after I am done with you -- I am going to knock the beard off you homie -- you are going to be apologizing for everything you have been trying to do to get in the boxing ring."

McGregor, when informed of Malignaggi’s offer, appeared to summarily dismiss the idea, saying he has no idea who Malignaggi even is.

"Who the f--- is that guy?" he said, recalling his famous put down of Jeremy Stephens from the UFC 205 press conference in September. "I don't know who the f--- that is but I'll slap the nose off him if he ever mentions my name again.”

I suppose I can’t really blame Malignaggi for trying to set himself up for a good payday in a fight that should be a relatively safe outing for him at this stage of his career. But let’s be serious, who wants to see McGregor-Malignaggi?! Probably only Malignaggi...

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