Ex-boxing champion Paulie Malignaggi thinks Paddy Pimblett could be making millions of dollars as a professional boxer.
Since making his Octagon debut in 2021, ‘The Baddy’ has emerged as one of the UFC’s top stars, earning a whopping $400,000 for his latest win against former Bellator titleholder ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler.
It’s undoubtedly a nice chunk of change for the Liverpudlian, but according to Malignaggi, he could be making a hell of a lot more money in eight-ounce gloves.
“Paddy Pimblett is a guy that’s now so big that his base [purse] would probably start at 20 million dollars if he were a boxer,” Malignaggi said in an interview courtesy of Spin Genie. “Because that’s what you’re talking about now, he’s maybe one of the biggest, if not the biggest star in MMA.
“So you have to compare him to the biggest star in the sport of boxing that moves the needle like that. And to tell you the truth, MMA guys probably move the needle more than the biggest boxer. Because I think MMA overall sells more pay-per-views. It sells more viewership.
“So that’s why I say, at the very minimum, Paddy would be starting at 20 million dollars for his next fight, plus pay per view points. This is the model we have in boxing.”
Paddy Pimblett is on the cusp of his first UFC title opportunity
Perhaps one day we’ll see Pimblett step inside the squared circle. But for now, ‘The Baddy’ seems perfectly content to continue working his way up the lightweight rankings.
With his win over Chandler at UFC 314, Pimblett moved up to the No. 8 spot in the 155-pound rankings, putting him potentially one big win away from his first shot at the division’s top prize.
