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Eddie Hearn reveals talks to promote Conor McGregor v Paulie Malignaggi


While many may sigh, a clash between Ireland’s Conor McGregor [0-1(1)] and Paulie Malignaggi is still a distinct possibility.

Indeed, Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn has revealed that he has made contact with McGregor’s team regarding a fight.

The English promoter intends to determine the financial feasibility of the contest and whether he can tempt the mixed martial artist and the retired world champion into the ring.

The pair sparred last year in the build-up to McGregor’s mega-money bout versus Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, sessions which have gone down in infamy.

The Crumlin light middleweight claims he dropped Malignaggi [36(7)-8(5)] and footage of this was released at the time by UFC boss Dana White. The New Yorker has stressed throughout that the trip to the canvas was the result of a pushdown and would later be seen in the company of Mayweather where he suggested that he was supplying sparring secrets.

Following McGregor’s stoppage loss to ‘Money May’, Malignaggi would propose a St Patrick’s Day fight in New York but this would not materialise.

The Dubliner would instead return to the UFC and was last month submitted in the fourth round of a lightweight (155lbs) title challenge versus Khabib Nurmagomedov.

McGregor has insisted that a rematch with the Russian is his first priority but coach John Kavanagh revealed afterwards that a return to boxing had also been mooted.

Enter Eddie Hearn who is now financially backed to the hilt by streaming service DAZN.

Earlier this week the Matchroom boss said he was interested in promoting the fight and has now revealed that he has already reached out

“I said it to him [Malignaggi] this morning that I’d love to do it!” Hearn told IFL.

“DAZN would pay a lot of money for that fight. I said it to Conor McGregor’s guys that I’m going to float the numbers to them and see what they think. Why not?

“As I said to Conor McGregor’s guys, maybe he can beat Paulie Malignaggi. I don’t know. I don’t think he beats Khabib.”

“He has been living a good life since he has been retired, so you never know how he’s going to be coming back. But I’ll say one thing, it is a good fight.”

Whether the fight or not is a good one, the potential financial appeal of the fight appeals to Hearn who believes he “can do some horny numbers for that fight.”

“It would be a good fight.”

Watch Eddie Hearn and Paulie Malignaggi’s interview with iFL TV in full below:

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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