Dana White: Paulie Malignaggi left Conor McGregor camp “for his health”

Paulie Malignaggi’s time as a part of Conor McGregor‘s training camp for Floyd Mayweather was brief. Just days into his work with McGregor, the former two-division boxing champ began feeling that he was being poorly portrayed by the Irish star and his entourage, and stormed out. At least, that’s the story Malignaggi has given.

UFC President Dana White, who released some now infamous footage of McGregor dropping Malignaggi in a sparring session, offers a different telling of things. In his opinion, Malignaggi left team McGregor with his health in mind. In other words, he was being pieced up so badly in sparring that he left to spare himself from further punishment.

Dana White on @PaulMalignaggi leaving McGregor’s camp & how “bad” he looked. He thinks Paulie left for his health. #MayweatherVsMcGregor pic.twitter.com/vlLE6E6u12

— Helen Yee (@HelenYeeSports) August 16, 2017

“I think he made the decision for his health,” White recently told the media (via Helen Yee). “I think it was the right decision. I’m not talking shit. What do I care? It makes no difference in my life whatsoever. This was a deal between Conor and this boxer, whatever, but I’m just telling you, he made the right decision for his health, because it was a 12-round, straight ass-whooping. It was as bad as an ass-whopping as I’ve ever seen.”

Since his departure from the McGregor camp, Malignaggi has repeatedly lambasted the Irish MMA champ, and even suggested that he’d like to fight him in 2018.

“I don’t need the money, we could do winner takes the whole pot,” he said on Twitter. “Based on his footage he should be real confident with a deal like that.”

Where do you stand on this Paulie Malignaggi vs. Conor McGregor beef? Do you believe these comments from the ever hyperbolic Dana White?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 8/15/2017.