Paulie Malignaggi challenges Conor McGregor to a boxing bout

Paulie Malignaggi wants to fight Conor McGregor to settle the "bad blood" between them after their well-documented sparring row. The former two-weight world champion has said he would face him in a boxing bout on St Patrick's Day next year, providing the UFC superstar does not suffer a one-sided beating at the hands of Floyd Mayweather on August 26.

Malignaggi cut short his spell as a sparring partner in McGregor's training camp after pictures of him hitting the canvas were released on social media. The 'Magic Man' insists he never wants to "see or speak to" the Irishman again, but is happy to follow in Mayweather's footsteps and fight him.

"It's picked up a ton of momentum, the bad blood is there so let's fight," he said during an in-depth interview. "We'll need to see how he looks against Mayweather. If he looks dog s***, no one will want to see us fight. As long as he doesn't get the living s*** beaten out of him, I think the demand is there to make the fight."

Malignaggi insists he simply wanted to assist McGregor's preparations, despite exchanging heated words beforehand, and vented his anger on Twitter after UFC President Dana White posted short videos of the sparring sessions.

"I showed up with the best intentions in camp, but at a certain point you realise that you are being used as a pawn where somebody is trying to get ahead at your expense and not through your help," said Malignaggi.