WBO Super Featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko has offered to spar with Conor McGregor, ahead of the UFC star’s bout against Floyd Mayweather in Nevada on Saturday, August 26.
Lomachenko made his offer on his official Twitter account:
If McGregor accepted the offer, Lomachenko would replace Paulie Malignaggi, who recently quit his role as sparring partner for the Irish UFC star. Since then, Malignaggi has been quick to offer disparaging opinions on McGregor’s skills as a boxer.
Malignaggi has told TMZ Sports McGregor knows he would be beaten in a real bout, something the Italian wants. He also told Ariel Helwani of The MMA Hour (h/t Martin Domin of the Daily Mirror) McGregor struggled to take his body shots.
Working with a boxer the caliber of Lomachenko, as unlikely as it seems, would surely sharpen McGregor up before he steps through the ropes to face Mayweather. Ukrainian Lomachenko boasts some of the quickest hands in boxing.
He’s a big puncher, but one whose swift combinations and nifty footwork truly set him apart. Top Rank promoter Bob Arum even compared Lomachenko to Muhammad Ali after the 29-year-old beat Miguel Marriaga August, per ESPN’s Dan Rafael.
Lomachenko has called out McGregor before, donning a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles outfit to do so back in March, per Stuart Atkins of The Sun. In May, Lomachenko also used Twitter to ask McGregor if he should try stepping into the Octagon:
Lomachenko’s willingness to put McGregor through his paces could be read as a further indication of how many in the boxing world would be happy to take the Irishman down a peg or two before Mayweather gets his chance.
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