McGregor-Malignaggi Sparring Video: A Desperate Attempt To Sell McGregor's Chances

If you’ve been following the Mayweather-McGregor circus act in the last couple of days you have most certainly been talking about, or have at least come across, the video of former world champion and SHOWTIME (that’s in capital on purpose since they are involved in the promotion) broadcaster Paulie Malignaggi sparring Conor McGregor in a “LEAKED” (again in caps on purpose) video on the internet. In the 20 seconds or so you’ve seen McGregor punch Malignaggi with a clean right hand, then throw him, or as some are saying, “punch him”, to the canvas. When the video was released the UFC fans came out of the woodworks with the whole “See what he is doing to a former world boxing champion” lines. The general public became interested. It was all part of the plan.

Since the signing of this fight the biggest joke has been Conor McGregor doesn’t have a prayer of winning. That has not stopped people from believing nor has it stopped them from betting on Conor’s chances. Floyd started as a -1200 favorite, fell to -600 in weeks, and when these videos were released, he had even dropped down to -475 as of yesterday.

Malignaggi has been on Twitter blasting away at the UFC since the release of the video. Last week he quit McGregor’s camp because they leaked photos of Malignaggi getting punched in the face yet nothing of Malignaggi hitting McGregor. He’s been blasting away at their mistreatment of him.

Anyone with any sort of sense should have told Paulie Malignaggi before even agreeing to go to McGregor’s camp that it was a set up from the start. In three photos, and thirty seconds of footage of sparring, all LEAKED by the UFC mind you, Malignaggi doesn’t land a single punch on McGregor. You’d think he was fighting the best boxer in the world based on that information. That, however, was the entire point.

Malignaggi was not brought there to make Conor better or prepare him to fight Mayweather. Malignaggi was brought into camp to expose him. To show the world that Conor has a chance to beat Mayweather. Malignaggi and McGregor sparred for 12 entire rounds yet they only released thirty seconds of video, and three pictures, of Malignaggi getting whooped. They want to sell more tickets. (Still over 7000 tickets remain). They want to sell more PPV buys. They want to sell McGregor’s chances. They knew from the start of camp that they were going to bring in big named boxers and try to expose them with biased picture and videos. It’s all part of selling the fight. They knew people would buy into it.

Just like the press conferences, which turned into a stand up roasting show. Some people aren’t buying into it. They see the illusions for what they are. Some people are buying into it claiming that now that he has proof he can box with a former world champion that he has a chance. Regardless of what you believe the fight is being talked about constantly. That’s what the plan is. Talk about it, buy it, and make everyone involved rich. Don’t be surprised to see McGregor give Mayweather a problem the first three rounds either. Not because he’ll actually have a shot at winning but because it’s a show, and Mayweather knows he needs to sell the show.

There are still two weeks left before the fight. Next up is a “Mayweather gets battered in sparring LEAK” or “Mayweather in financial trouble LEAK”. Or maybe another great thing Conor did in camp. It’s got to be something to sell more tickets, and make the public believe Conor has a better chance leading up to fight night.