According to a former boxing champion, UFC Lightweight Paddy Pimblett has a lucrative future in the ring.
Pimblett has made a splash on the largest stage in MMA since he made his UFC debut with a memorable comeback -Knock -out of Luigi Vendramini in 2021.
'The Baddy' has since remained unbeaten in the Octagon and his promotional record moved to a perfect 7-0. And the scouser is coming from his biggest victory this year in Miami.
Pimblett dominated Michael Chandler on UFC 314 and stopped the former Bellator champion via TKO in round three. That result increased the former title holder from Cage Warriors to no. 8 in the lightweight rankings.
This has given the UFC title of Pimblett a considerable boost. But when the focus of the 30-year-old switches from gold to money along the line, he is told about potentially huge payment days in another sport.
Paulie Malignaggi supports Paddy Pimblett for mass boxing payments
During a recent interview with Spin Genie, former boxing champion Paulie Malignaggi rated the growing star row of Pimblett in combat sports.
'Magic Man' believes that MMA has a superior viewer for boxing, so that the road is cleared for considerable payment days in the ring for some of the largest UFC stars.
Given how he looks at 'The Baddy', Malignaggi thinks that the charismatic scouser could earn no less than $ 20 million for his very first pro boxing match.
“Paddy Pimblett is a man who is now so big that his base (wallet) would probably start at $ 20 million if he was a boxer,” said Malignaggi. “Because you are talking about now, he is perhaps one of the biggest, if not the biggest star in MMA.
“So you have to compare him with the biggest star in boxing that the needle moves like that. And to tell you the truth, MMA boys probably move the needle more than the biggest boxer. Because I think MMA generally sells more pay-per-views. It sells more viewers.
“So that is why I say, at the minimum, Paddy would start with 20 million dollars for his next fight, plus pay-per-view points. This is the model we have in boxing.”
If Malignaggi is right, Pimblett could double the wallet that was taken home by heavyweight star Francis Ngannou in his first trip in the ring.
After leaving the UFC as a champion to pursue his boxing ambitions, 'The Predator' made a reported $ 10 million for his controversial competition with the then WBC heavyweight King Tyson Fury.
Paddy Pimblett has his sights on a UFC wrinkle competition for now
As it looks now, Pimblett has its complete focus on the cage and his plan for UFC gold to make his waist wrap in it.
'The Baddy' currently has no champion to target, but he could have a bitter rival in his sights if Ilia Topuria Charles Oliveira on UFC 317 defeated in their vacant lightweight title fight.
Pimblett shares a rivalry with 'El Matador' dating from their near-Brawl in the Fighter Hotel for a UFC London event in 2022. Years later the few remains hostile to each other, and Topuria recently described his 'hat' for Pimblett during an interview with ESPN Deportes.
“He is a hypocrite,” said Topuria. (h/t @champrds on x). “I remember that we once shared a press conference and he said something like:” I am fighting on the main map and you are on the prelims. “
“Now I think, I have two belts, where are you? Who is the F – K now Paddy Pimblett? And why would he earn it to fight me?
“To be honest, if I could choose a fight, I would fight against him because I hate him,” Topuria continued. “He is a pain in the ass.
“I would like to give that fight to the fans. For a long time I believe that you have not seen a real fight in the UFC. Two people who really want to fight each other, and what a better way than to fight for everyone and set up a show.”
Pimblett expects to require another victory to secure his place opposite the Oliveira vs Topuria winner, and he hopes that this will come across former interim champion Justin Gaethje.