Former two-division boxing champion Paulie Malignaggi might have a beef with Conor McGregor but recently he’s engaged in a war of words with more than just the current UFC lightweight champion.
Last week, Malignaggi went back and forth with featherweight champion Max Holloway after stating that mixed martial artists rarely use consistent body shots to tire and weather away at an opponent over multiple rounds.
Holloway fired back and he got into a back and forth battle on social media with the current Showtime commentator.
Paulina please shut your mouth. I'll show you something bout body work. https://t.co/JQzKMNFYG0
— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) August 30, 2017
Used 2 have so much respect for MMA b4 all this but these weirdos even have fighters as trolls. Finally 1 I've heard of n watched at least. https://t.co/VJrgvMwes6
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 30, 2017
Most believe Malignaggi has been angling for a boxing match against McGregor after the two fighters sparred twice during his training camp to prepare for Floyd Mayweather. Malignaggi has already stated he’d be willing to end his retirement for the chance to face McGregor inside the ring.
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan believes that Malignaggi should stay in his lane when it comes to boxing because irritating the entire UFC roster wouldn’t end well for him in a real fight.
“He should shut the f–k up cause if he wanted to have a UFC fight he can go over there and get his brain kicked in. He’s out of his mind. Stop talking. You’re a boxer. You’re a very good boxer. Just shut your mouth,” Rogan said on his fight companion podcast this past Saturday.
“There’s literally a million people in the world that could grab you and strangle the life out of you and there’s not a go–amn thing you could do about it. Sorry dude. Don’t talk s–t. They will give you a wrestler and he will punch your f–king face into pulp and there’s not a go–amn thing you could do about it. Not a go–amn thing.”
Now Malignaggi has never said that he was actually contemplating a mixed martial arts fight, but he’s certainly been ruffling a few feathers in the MMA community lately.
While Rogan concedes that in a boxing match most top UFC fighters would probably struggle against someone like Malignaggi, the flipside would be disastrous for the former champion turned color commentator.
In a hypothetical matchup with someone like Holloway, Rogan says that Malignaggi would not only lose the fight but he might be battling for his life inside the Octagon.
“Imagine what Max Holloway would do to Paulie Malignaggi in an MMA fight,” Rogan said. “Just imagine. Just try to wrap your head around the kind of ass f–king that he would receive. Max Holloway would literally kill him if he wanted to. Literally kill him. I mean so would Cub Swanson, so would a lot of guys.”
As much as Malignaggi might have the advantage in boxing, Rogan is still confident that someone like Holloway could give him problems with a full training camp.
“Max has the best shot,” Rogan said about boxing Malignaggi. “Max has amazing footwork and he’s a good striker, a very, very good striker. He’s got good timing, good discipline and his endurance is phenomenal.”
If there’s any solace in Rogan’s harsh assessment of Malignaggi’s chances to succeed in an MMA fight, he will admit at least one fighter on the roster probably wouldn’t do so well inside the Octagon with him.
“He’d probably f–k CM Punk up,” Rogan said.
