Jake Paul backed to challenge Conor McGregor in MMA clash: ‘If you hang with him he will get uncomfortable’
Former boxing world champion, Paulie Malignaggi, backs Jake Paul to trouble Conor McGregor in a potential MMA fight.
Since Paul has made his transition to combat, he has desperately attempted to entice McGregor into a fight. The American seems to take every opportunity to criticise and goad the former UFC champion.
Jake Paul is set to take on McGregor’s long-standing rival, Nate Diaz in a boxing match on August 5 but has also expressed interest in also taking to MMA after signing with PFL earlier this year.
Paulie Malignaggi gives Jake Paul fighting chance
Paulie Malignaggi, another detractor of McGregor, spoke to the chances of Jake Paul if he were to face McGregor inside the cage. Malignaggi and McGregor very publicly feuded after the latter released sparring footage in the build up for his fight with Floyd Mayweather. The video shows McGregor knocking down the ‘Magic Man’, appearing to get the better of him – something which the junior welter and welterweight champion disputes.
“Jake has a high school wrestler background, so he would not be totally out of his element in the cage,” said Malignaggi. “He’d need to be alert to his kicks, but McGregor (has) absolutely no balls. If you make him just a little bit uncomfortable, you are going to put yourself in a position where you might win the fight.
“You can make him uncomfortable by beating on him, or if he’s beating on you, if you just hang in the fight he begins to get nervous and paranoid. He’s not a true fighter,” he continued. “He looks for the first window to jump out of. He’s got athletic ability but his anxiety levels get high. That’s why he gets so tired in fights. (H/T Lord Ping)
“Jake just needs the ability to hang in there and he can start to trouble him a little. He can put himself in the position to win the fight. I think McGregor’s boxing is brutally bad, but at this point, even in MMA, if you hang with him he will get uncomfortable,” Malignaggi concluded.
Do you agree with Pauli Maliganni?
