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'LOWEST OF THE LOW'
Artem Lobov vows to put ‘final nail in Paulie Malignaggi’s coffin’ and settle sparring feud for old pal McGregor
ARTEM LOBOV has vowed to put the “final nail in the coffin” in the career of Paulie Malignaggi ahead of their bare knuckle ring on Saturday.
Lobov was ringside when the rivalry between Conor McGregor and the retired boxer kicked off during a controversial and ugly sparring session.
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With a fight against UFC star McGregor not forthcoming, Malignaggi settled for his close friend and training partner Lobov - with a Bare Knuckle Boxing FC main-event set for this weekend in Florida.
In an ugly build up the retired boxer has slapped the Russian slugger, hit him on the head with a microphone and spat in his face.
Now just days away from meeting Malignaggi with exposed fists, ex-UFC veteran Lobov has vowed to leave his rival with no teeth - unable to trash talk again.
Lobov told SunSport: “I’m just happy we are finally here. I’m sick of this motherf***er, he is the lowest of the low.
“He doesn’t know what respect is, he’s almost 40-years-old and look at his behaviour, I’m happy to finally get my hands on this guy.
He understands broken jaws, he understands knocked out teeth and I’m going to explain it to him on Saturday night.
Artem Lobov on Paulie Malignaggi
“He hasn’t been taught to respect I guess, he doesn’t understand what it is - but there is one thing he does understand and that’s pain.
“He understands broken jaws, he understands knocked out teeth and I’m going to explain it to him on Saturday night.
“I look forward to putting him in the blender, as he won’t be able to come out alive.”
In summer 2017 when Malignaggi was brought into Team McGregor to help the Irish star prepare to fight Floyd Mayweather, Lobov watched his team-mate spar 20 rounds with his future foe.
After leaked images and footage - including a disputed knockdown of Malignaggi surfaced - the Brooklyn native stormed out of the UFC fighter's camp.
McGregor has since dissected his spars with “The Magic Man” and discussed tactics with his gym mate - though The Notorious may not be ringside in Florida due to a hand injury he is nursing.
Lobov said: “At the time when the spar happened we talked about it intensively.
"And of course since the fight has been announced we have worked on what the strategy should be.
“The rounds are short and there’s no gloves meaning the shots will land. It’s a sprint rather than a marathon and if you look at Paulie’s fights he was always a marathon fighter.
“He needs the 12 rounds, he needs to break people down. He’s not got power, he works the jab - this suits me down to the ground. I’ve always been known as a hard, explosive puncher.”
Lobov made a successful BKB FC debut in April. He beat ex-UFC fighter Jason Knight over five rounds and floored his man four times, with both men left battered.
Malignaggi, who only scored seven career KOs, is fighting in the world of bare knuckle for the first time.
Lobov suggests Malignaggi’s point scoring style will leave him with a “broken jaw” at the hands of his exposed knuckles.
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The Russian added: “I’ve had a bare knuckle fight, I’ve had that experience.
“There’s no time to learn or adjust in there. It’s a ten minute fight so I look forward to mauling him in there - he won’t understand it - but he will have a broken jaw.
“The best thing to do is to forget him after this, just don’t ever mention his name again - he would hate that, he wants to be in the spotlight.”
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