World champion boxer quits Conor McGregor training camp claiming he was exploited

He has challenged McGregor to release unedited video of the full 12 rounds.

Fri, 04 Aug, 2017 - 12:42

Stephen Barry

Former world champion boxer Paulie Malignaggi has quit Conor McGregor’s training camp after only two sparring sessions, claiming he was exploited by the camp, writes Stephen Barry.

The two-weight world champion, who retired earlier this year with a 36-8 record, cited issues around the training camp which upset him, most notably a series of social media posts portraying McGregor as dominating Malignaggi in sparring.

Dave Fogarty, a photographer for the Mac Life, McGregor’s self-owned publishing website, had posted a picture of Malignaggi on the canvas with the caption, “There (sic) no conspiracy, there (sic) no photoshop just pure unadulterated power”.

There no conspiracy, there no photoshop just pure unadulterated power pic.twitter.com/sqQoc3zgrn
— Dave Fogarty (@DavidGbd) August 4, 2017

The Italian-American said the apparent knockdown was really a pushdown and challenged McGregor to release unedited video of the full 12 rounds.

“Its (sic) not nice 2 paint a pic that isn't true, this was a pushdown in sparring, post the whole video rounds 1 through 12 UNEDITED”, Malignaggi wrote on Twitter.

Malignaggi in action against Ricky Hatton in 2008.

“The @ufc PI (Performance Institute) has cameras all over the gym recording 24/7. The video exists UNEDITED of rounds 1 through 12 Tuesday night, let the fans see.

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

Its not nice 2 paint a pic that isn't true, this was a pushdown in sparring, post the whole video rounds 1 through 12 UNEDITED https://t.co/R82BLiMMVm
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 4, 2017

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

McGregor had also posted a picture on Instagram showing him jumping towards a back-peddling Malignaggi, with the caption: “Another handy 12 rounds today. We are prepared to destroy Floyd.”

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In his full statement about walking away from the camp, Malignaggi wrote: “I just wanted to clear the air. I am leaving the McGregor training camp today.

“I came with best intentions & intended to help out. Just the chance to be part of such a big event in this capacity excited me.

“I believe Conor & I have a mutual respect inside the ring, earned from each other with some good work over 2 sparring sessions. It’s some of the stuff outside the ring and some ways some things were handled in training camp that I didn’t agree with that made me come to this decision.

“It’s not my place to dictate terms in a training camp that is not mine, but it’s my place to decide if I I (sic) want to be a part of it. I will not give away anything tactical that I saw in 2 sparring sessions with Conor. For what it’s worth, they have my word.

“The things that upset me though I will speak about in time. I wish team McGregor well in the rest of their preparations and look forward to being back in Vegas to work fight week on Showtime.”