Now and then, Conor McGregor makes new headlines. This time, the former UFC champ has received a brutal reality check from his former training partner for the Floyd Mayweather fight. McGregor’s ex-sparring partner has made a bold prediction about a potential bout between McGregor and Jake Paul.

The former boxing champ believes that Jake Paul possesses the power to knock out McGregor. According to him, McGregor’s defense is ill-equipped to handle Paul’s looping punches due to a lack of discipline. The bare-knuckle boxer also asserted that McGregor’s vulnerability to those powerful shots makes him an easy target.

Ex-training partner predicts Conor McGregor vs Jake Paul fight

This ex-sparring partner was none other than Paulie Malignaggi, a former boxing champion and one-time bare-knuckle boxer. Paulie was McGregor’s sparring partner for his much-hyped fight with Floyd Mayweather, back in 2017. Since he was a former boxer himself, Malignaggi was the perfect sparring partner for McGregor.

Speaking about the McGregor vs Jake Paul fight, the boxer gave his two cents on the matchup. Malignaggi criticized McGregor, claiming that he lacks bravery and easily succumbs to discomfort as the fight progresses. In Malignaggi’s view, McGregor’s mistakes made it unnecessary for his opponents to create opportunities against him.

While McGregor may have sharp shots in his arsenal, the boxer also questioned his ability to sustain those precise blows by Paul, over several rounds. He also argued that McGregor’s lack of discipline and heart would lead to his downfall, causing him to crumble under pressure.

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Paulie predicted, “I think Jake Paul would knock Conor out.”

“Conor is too susceptible to those loopy shots, and Jake hits hard enough that only needs to hit you with one or two of them. I think Conor has decent sharp shots, but I don’t think Conor has the discipline to stay with those little sharp shots for a certain amount of rounds. I think he would fall apart because he doesn’t have a lot of heart.”

Paulie clarified that his predictions and POV for the fight were unrelated to the long-standing animosity between the boxer and the Irish MMA fighter.

McGregor and Malignaggi: The ongoing feud

Back in February, McGregor shared an old video of himself sparring with the former boxer. In the video, the UFC star was seen dominating his sparring partner and throwing quick punches. McGregor even claimed that Paulie ran from the gym after the sparring session. Since then, both athletes have called each other out multiple times, but it has culminated in nothing.

The feud between McGregor and Malignaggi intensifies the intrigue surrounding this potential clash. With Jake Paul’s boxing career on the rise, McGregor’s dominance hangs in the balance.

Although it remains uncertain if McGregor and Paul will meet in the ring, Malignaggi’s predictions have ignited anticipation. Fans and pundits eagerly await to see if McGregor can withstand Paul’s power and determination.

As the boxing world watches these developments, the possibility of a Conor McGregor vs. Jake Paul fight becomes increasingly enticing. Will Paul’s confidence and knockout ability prove too much for McGregor, or will McGregor overcome doubts and reclaim his dominance?

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