The former world champion boxer is still looking for a big payday against Conor McGregor, and hoping to make use of Artem Lobov’s boxing plans to get it.

If Conor McGregor is hoping to use the threat of a boxing match with Paulie Malignaggi to negotiate a better contract with the UFC, then Malignaggi is definitely doing his part to keep that idea going. The former multiple time world boxing champion has been front and center as one of the ongoing story lines that came out of McGregor’s fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. back in August.

Ever since McGregor brought Malignaggi in as a sparring partner during his fight camp – resulting in leaked photos and video of the Irishman seemingly dominating the retired boxer – Malignaggi has been calling for his own bout with the UFC lightweight champion. Now, with the recent news that Conor McGregor teammate Artem Lobov is looking for his own boxing crossover – and even a fight with Malignaggi – it seems the native New Yorker has found a new promotional angle.

One-night tournaments haven’t been a staple of the MMA landscape for years now, and definitely aren’t a mainstay of top level professional boxing. However, it’s still something that happens all the time in the kickboxing world. Maybe the thought of another McGregor-led PPV event could get the Nevada Athletic Commission to sign off on it?

In the world of more realistic options, McGregor’s team seems to be slowly coming around to the idea of unifying the lightweight title once again with a fight against current interim champion Tony Ferguson. But, the threat of a continued boxing career is probably just what McGregor needs to get a little extra out of his next UFC deal.