Boxing great Paulie Malignaggi recently spent time at Conor McGregor’s training camp as the Irishman prepares for his super fight against Floyd Mayweather.
In an interview before he left camp, Malignaggi said he has a lot of respect for McGregor, especially for the UFC Lightweight Champion’s work ethic.
"It makes me respect McGregor to see his work ethic that he's put into the training camp,” Malignaggi told Sky Sports. “Seeing him work hard every day and see that he's really determined to upset the odds. When you talk to Conor, at first I started thinking this guy doesn't really think he's going to win this, it's just a $100 million fight for him. Then when you really start to talk to him, you start to realize that this guy really believes it down deep inside his heart and he's got every reason to, because every time he's been doubted in his life he has been able to overcome those odds and win, no matter what it is.”
That work ethic is going to be a driving force for McGregor, who has zero professional boxing fights under his belt.
The boxing star also says that the fans may doubt McGregor, but the Irishman doesn’t doubt himself.
"Come out of poverty, become a UFC champion, become a two-time two-weight UFC champion,” Malignaggi said. “Whatever it's been, he's done it. He has no reason to ever doubt himself, because he is yet to be proven wrong. From the outside, we're going to doubt him again, but Conor McGregor doesn't have any doubts in his mind."
Conor McGregor versus Floyd Mayweather takes place on Saturday, August 26 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
