Paulie Malignaggi At A Career Crossroad
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
*Photo Credit: Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media
New York, NY (June 29, 2015)– A month ago I chatted with Paulie Malignaggi ringside at Dmitriy Salita’s card in Brooklyn at Long University about the cancellation of his scheduled bout with Danny O’Connor due to injury. I told Paulie he has been around long enough to qualify for a world title shot with Floyd Mayweather Jr., and perhaps he deserved such an opportunity. He must defeat 30-0 World Junior Welterweight champion Danny Garcia at 147 pounds to earn the shot.
Paulie’s name has always been out there in the 147 pound division, he is always available and fights everybody who wants to fight him. Paulie is hot and cold. Paulie beat Jose Cotto, lost to Miguel Cotto, beat Lovemore N’dou twice, lost to Juan Diaz, beat Juan Diaz, lost to Amir Khan, beat Orlando Lora, lost to Adrien Broner, beat Vyacheslaw Senchenko, beat Zab Judah, and lost to Shawn Porter.
Paulie’s principal enemy today is inactivity, as Paulie has been out of the ring for 15 months. Paulie will try to upset Garcia on August 1, 2015, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, in Paulie’s hometown territory with fan following. Paulie will face 30-0 Danny Garcia for a chance at a lucrative payday shot at Floyd Mayweather Jr. In Malignaggi, Garcia selected the best transition’ opponent’ in the 147 pound weight class. Since Garcia’s walking weight is probably 147 pounds, the big question is who is better-Paulie or Danny?
I regard Malignaggi as the spoiler in this matchup, as Paulie must prove Garcia is not as good as hyped. Garcia versus Malignaggi seems an even bout on paper. The winner of this bout will be the one who does the right type of preparation work, power hitting plus technical boxing skills. The winner will seek a Floyd shot over Amir Khan or Timothy Bradley Jr., Keitth Thurman, Shawn Porter and others in a possible 2016 match up.
For Malignaggi to beat Danny Garcia, Paulie’s training camp will need to add more punching power to his speed and technical skill, to score some knockdowns and win the bout. Garcia is the odds on favorite to score some knockdowns and stop him in the later championship rounds of a highly technical contest. Paulie, though, is a hot and cold fighter in the ‘who knows’ category. At 33-6 with seven knockouts, Paulie lacks punching firepower to take Garcia out, but he might outpoint him if Garcia loses some dynamite at 147 pounds like Adrien Broner did losing decisions to Porter and Marcos Rene Maidana.
At 35, Paul Malignaggi is at a career crossroads. So far as the welterweight division is concerned, Danny Garcia is a sudden intruder into the mix. Even at 30-0, Garcia has to score big wins at 147 pounds to earn a shot at Floyd before Floyd retires. Floyd will wait for the result of this bout. Floyd seems headed a title defense against Amir Khan, which would offer lucrative Pay-Per-View income from Europe where Khan has mega following.
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