Despite publically announcing that he wants to fight in his own sport next, Conor McGregor still has hopes of a rematch against Floyd Mayweather.
Last month the UFC lightweight champion declared that his next fight would be in the UFC after rumours started going around of a potential boxing fight against Manny Pacquiao this year.
“I think a true fight is what I want to do next. A real fight, what’s a real fight? MMA next,” said McGregor according to Bloody Elbow.
The super hero villain. @beatsbydrepic.twitter.com/Ln2gr1wVa3
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 2, 2018
The boxing chapter in McGregor’s combat sports career was expected to be over but UFC President Dana White recently revealed that the loss to Mayweather still haunts the Irishman.
“Conor wants that fight again really bad. I told Conor what you did was amazing. I was sitting there with my partner Lorenzo [Fertitta] and I kept saying, ‘Oh my god, we found this kid in Ireland four years ago. He’s going into the sixth round with Floyd Mayweather. He’s going into the seventh round with Floyd Mayweather’
“He did extremely well, but Conor was not happy with his performance and obviously Conor, truly he believed he was going to win that fight,” told White in an interview with Fox Sports 1.
After Mayweather stopped McGregor in the tenth round via TKO, both fighters celebrated their massive paydays together but since then Floyd has claimed that he carried McGregor and ‘The Notorious’ responded with another social media slap.
One former boxer who immediately reacted to McGregor’s rematch hopes was his former sparring partner Paulie Malignaggi.
The two famously had a massive fall out after McGregor’s camp released sparring footage of Malignaggi getting dropped in the ring. The beef is still strong to this day as you can tell from one of Malignaggi’s latest tweets.
@TheNotoriousMMA Beg beg and beg again you narcissist fool. Keep begging, then when you don't get it stay clear of the cage or ring cause u only have beatings to look forward to. And none of them pay what a beating from Floyd pays. https://t.co/8W37OQf4Oq
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) January 2, 2018
McGregor has risen to one of the most famous combat sports athletes in the world but Malignaggi is far from a fan.
You have this weird obsession with people begging or worshipping you but lemme give you some real talk, NO MATTER how much of that whiskey you're drinkin your balls aren't ACTUALLY getting bigger. You've nowhere to run u pussy, every door u open there's a beating waiting for you. https://t.co/Tdc59fw4qs
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) January 1, 2018
During the Mayweather-McGregor aftermath there was some talk about a fight between Malignaggi and the Irishman but the plan now for McGregor is clear as he is set to defend his UFC title next.
“I know deep down he would do that fight again,” White said about McGregor vs. Mayweather 2. “But he needs to get back to MMA and defend his title,” summarised the UFC President in his interview with Fox Sports.
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