Paulie ‘Magic Man’ Malignaggi is gearing up for an in-ring return, but won’t lace up the gloves this time. A few hours ago, the 44-year-old took to his Instagram to announce his new 3-fight deal with ‘Bare Knuckle Boxing’, marking his return to the promotion where he previously lost in 2019 against UFC alum Artem Lobov after he retired from boxing in 2017. However, with new confidence and determination, Malignaggi is eager to try again, even calling out Conor McGregor in the process.

“What’s up, guys? Paulie the Magic Man Malignaggi. I am here to announce I’m doing a three-fight deal with BKB, and I am back. Ready to fight bare-knuckle fighting,” he announced standing beside a BKFC ring. Magic Man made it clear that he won’t be using his privilege to get a title shot directly. Rather, he would start from the bottom, earning his place. “I respect the fighters too much. There are really good contenders in the GM middleweight division. I wanna fight one of those top contenders and earn my spot. I don’t want to jump the line. I want to earn my spot at the champion,” he explained.

“You know, there are some guys who come to this sport with a big position. They look to jump the line right away, or at least they talk that way,” he added. While he did not name-drop any specific athlete, he could be talking about Mike Perry, who headlined several main events in BKFC right after making his debut. However, his next move was not that covert, calling out BKFC co-owner and former UFC dual champion Conor McGregor directly. “Big talkers like Conor McGregor, big talkers. Doesn’t have the b**ls to fight any of the champions in his promotion, especially the trigon here,” he stated.

In April 2024, Conor McGregor officially became the co-owner of BKFC during KnuckleMania 4. Since then, the Notorious has constantly teased his entry into the trigon. But so far, nothing has materialized. Was this the Magic Man’s way of challenging McGregor to a fight? Maybe? We will have to wait for things to unfold further.

Paulie Malignaggi then issued a notice to all the contenders in the dressing room, claiming he is ready for anyone. “I am a contender and I am here to show that even at 44 years old, I still got the goods and I am chasing that title for BKB. But like I said, I want one shot at a contender first,” he declared before signing off.

The Magic Man has vowed to climb back to the top, criticizing those who exploit their status. Yet, in a recent statement, he expressed surprisingly little frustration over Manny Pacquiao‘s direct path to a world title shot.

Paulie Malignaggi is not a fan of Barrios

A few weeks ago, former IBF junior welterweight champion shared a video on Paulie TV, sharing his stance on Manny Pacquiao’s return. The only eight-division world champion is returning to the squared circle after a four-year hiatus and will compete for the WBC welterweight championship directly. However, this time, Malignaggi is not that upset about the situation.

Predicting the fight, the 44-year-old said, “I think either guy could win, honestly. Not really, bro. Honestly, it wouldn’t shock me to see Manny winning.” Why? According to Paulie Malignaggi, Mario Barrios is not a champion-caliber fighter. “I think Mario Barrios sucks. I am appalled that guy’s a world champion. Every time I see him fight, I’m like, ‘That guy’s bad. Man, is he bad?” he stated bluntly.

Furthermore, while he knows that Pacquiao can win, he does have some concerns. “I think most people that would use their common sense, looking at a career that’s been that long and has been high impact, too. He wasn’t exactly a defensive specialist, taking a lot of punches. It takes a toll on you, usually shortens your career,” he concluded, asking Pacquiao not to push himself too much.

However, we know that the Filipino icon won’t be able to do that. On the other hand, even Paulie Malignaggi’s return to the BKFC, which is far more dangerous than boxing, is worrying. What do you think? Let us know your thoughts down below.