According to experienced veteran referee Joe Cortez things got a bit out of hand at Camp McGregor recently. Cortez was brought in to teach Conor McGregor the rules of boxing and the in ring dynamics of a professional boxing bout.
McGregor also hired former world champion Paulie Malignaggi as a sparring partner and apparently tempers flared between the two.
“It was the real thing, I had to stop the action, say ‘you guys are a little out of control here, you’ve got to stop this.’ You know, they got a little rough. They were both roughing each other up and I had to stop the action like it was a regular fight,” revealed Cortez according to The Sun.
Both fighters went at each other instead of backing down said the referee.
“They were holding too much – they were trying to punch each other. So I had to call ‘time, alright guys you’ve got to stop this right now, I won’t a good, clean, strong – give me a sportsman like conduct you understand?’”
Floyd Mayweather and McGregor will fight this month on the 26th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.