Cortez: McGregor-Malignaggi sparring got ‘a little out of control’

Cortez, who is in McGregor’s camp to help ease the transition to boxing rules, by overseeing sparring sessions as he would real bouts, says he had to admonish McGregor and Malignaggi during a recent sparring session.

He was in there mixing it up a little bit with Paulie and it was the real thing I had to stop the action and I had to say, ‘Alright guys, you guys are getting a little out of control here, you gotta stop this.’ It got a little rough. They were both roughing each other up and I had to stop the action like as in a regular fight. They were holding too much, they were trying to punch each other. I mean, it got a little bit out of control where I had to call ‘Time!’ [I said] ‘Alright guys, you gotta stop this right now, I want a good clean round, give me sportsman-like conduct. Understand? I don’t want to take any points from either one of you. Understand?’ I looked at them and they said, ‘Okay, alright.’ And I said, ‘Time in.’

And when asked if there had been alot of trash talking:

I had to put a stop to that as well. That’s probably why I had to stop the action.