Conor McGregor's training camp dealt significant setback as Paulie Malignaggi quits sparring: 'It's a fiasco and a circus'
Malignaggi is furious that photographs have emerged from sparring which show him on the canvas, insisting that he was pushed rather than knocked down
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Your support makes all the difference.Conor McGregor’s training camp was dealt a significant setback just three weeks out from his professional boxing debut against Floyd Maweather, when one of his sparring partners announced he would be flying home after describing the Irishman’s preparations for the fight as a “fiasco”.
The retired boxer Paulie Malignaggi, who agreed to join McGregor’s Las Vegas training camp shortly after the world press tour to promote the fight concluded, has said that he is angry photographs have emerged of McGregor appearing to get the better of him in the ring.
The photos show Malignaggi on the canvas as McGregor stands above him, although the American has insisted that he was pushed – rather than knocked down. He has called on McGregor to release video from the training session, to show what he believes is the full story.
“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,” Malignaggi told the American sports website ESPN.
“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.
“And I do want that sparring video released. The UFC's Performance Institute definitely has that video. I understand it can't come out now, but Conor, if you have any balls, release what really happened.”
This is not the first time Malignaggi has hit out at McGregor for the manner in which he has been treated during sparring.
Earlier this week, the former WBA welterweight champion claimed that the Irishman is “not a very likeable” sparring partner, telling journalists that one session on Monday was “rough”, “intense” and “very dirty”.
“I'll be honest, it got a little rough, it got a little tense, it got very dirty in spots in sparring,” Malignaggi said on The Dan Patrick Show.
“He brings his game face into sparring. He's not very likeable, but I've got to admit I'm not very likeable either a lot of times in there.
“Also there had been words in the media about what we had said about each other before we even came to camp.
“I'm sure it all came to a head in sparring and I'm sure it will come to a head again during sparring. I'm not here to be friends with anybody and I've certainly seen the way he is with his sparring partners, he's definitely not here to be friends with any of his sparring partners.”
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