Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather aren’t fighting until Aug. 26, but according to McGregor’s sparring partner’s high praise, Mayweather better watch out.

Paulie Malignaggi — a former two-weight boxing champion who had his second sparring session against McGregor on Tuesday — said the UFC star is starting to get the hang of this boxing thing.

“I think the intensity Conor’s reaching is starting to show in the hard work he’s put into camp,” Malignaggi told ESPN. “I think he’s getting better and better. I really felt improvements from two weeks ago to now … I do see a guy who is implementing more and more of what they want to do in their game plan.”

Malignaggi said Tuesday’s session was a 12-round bout, and that he wasn’t about to take it easy on McGregor because he was annoyed about how this second sparring session was set up.

“Lot of violence,” Malignaggi said. “I went in there to prove a point. I didn’t like the fact I had to fly across the country on Monday, and they have me scheduled for 12 [rounds] on Tuesday. I thought it was a little bit of a setup.

he latest back and forth between Mayweather and McGregor is the battle of the gloves.

Mayweather Promotions has looked into having the fight be contested with eight-ounce gloves, Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett confirmed to MMA fighting on Wednesday. The commission requires fighters to fight with 10 ounce gloves.

“Don’t believe what you hear in the media,” Mayweather wrote on Instagram and posted on his Twitter account. “Don’t believe what you hear on blog sites. If it’s not coming directly from me, then it’s not true. I’m telling McGregor, “Let’s fight in 8 oz gloves.”

Not surprisingly, McGregor had his own blunt and profane social media responseregarding glove-gate.

“Pick whatever size gloves you want as well little man. I don’t give a f— about the size of the glove. I am coming sprinting at you with bricks. Know that. Brittle hands.”