TalkingBoxing Interviews
With Cotto in his Face, Can Malignaggi Pull the Upset?
THU MAY 25, JULIUS STECKER - Junior welterweight contender Paulie "The Magic Man" Malignaggi, 21-0, brings a sort of swagger and bravado each and every time he enters the ring. Either you love the loquacious speedster or you hate the man. Malignaggi is super slick with amazingly fast hand speed, but his abilities are often over shadowed by his loud and outlandish personality.
However we perceive Malignaggi, fight fans still have to realize his appeal in a sport in need of more fighters of Paulie's ilk.
Malignaggi comes from a humble background, born in Brooklyn, NY, he moved to Sicily, Italy and lived there until the age of six. Paulie was a late starter to boxing, beginning his climb to the top as an amateur when he was 16-years old and his success culminated with a United States lightweight amateur championship in 2001. Instead of sticking around for a shot at the 2004 Olympic Games, Paulie decided it was time to turn pro. Now 21-fights later Paulie has arrived at his zenith.
Paulie has a cool and confident way and truly believes in his place in boxing history.
TalkingBoxing caught up with Paulie as he was preparing for his June 10th title fight against World Boxing Organization junior welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, 26-0, at Madison Square Garden and televised on pay-per-view.
"This is the biggest fight in New York in a while. Miguel Cotto is Puerto Rican and he has a big following. And I am from New York and I have a big following as well," explained Malignaggi.
This fight promises to do huge business in New York City even with a competing HBO PPV featuring stars Antonio Tarver and Bernard Hopkins on the same night and down the road in Atlantic City, NJ. Cotto and Malignaggi are big attractions in the metropolitan area and the winner will not only lay claim to the WBO trinket, but they will also be the King of New York.
Malignaggi will come into this fight as an underdog, facing a much stronger and more experienced Cotto, but when it comes to confidence level entering this fight, there is no question from Paulie that he will win this encounter against the hard slugging Cotto going away.
"Without a doubt I will win this fight. Speed is always going to neutralize power and I bring speed. I expect to go out there and dominate this fight, no problem," stated Paulie. "Cotto can't handle a fighter like me. He can't box and he won't be able to deal with my speed."
In his last outing this past February on ESPN, he took out fringe contender Donald Camarena, winning practically every round and every minute in route to unanimous decision victory. Cotto will be tougher and overall a far better fighter than Camarena, but Paul believes his style will carry up the scale and in the ring with even elite fighters
"The so called experts think Cotto's going to break me down. Not many are picking me. They must not have watched me fight because I breakdown my opponents. I control the tempo of my fights. At the end of the fight you're going to see Cotto broken down. I'm going to use the negative press as fuel for the fire. Cotto thinks he's going to come in and knock me out. He's in for a rude awakening," Paulie told "The Mouthpiece Boxing Show with Anthony Pepe on Boston's Boxing Station 1510AM The Zone.
It's not only speed that allowed Malignaggi to be an early success, but also his constant film study, devoution and his passion for the sport. Through all that extensive study you may be surprised to hear to who he feels is the greatest fighter of all time is.
"Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the greatest fighter I have ever seen. I don't care what anybody says, he is the full package. People may judge fighters, but they need to realize Floyd lives for this. For him to beat Zab [Judah] the way he did was impressive. Zab is my boy, and nobody beats him that night besides Floyd Mayweather."
Malignaggi will be looking to excite fight fans on June 10th at 'The Garden' and if he can dominate Cotto like he predicts, Malignaggi may be one step closer to stardom, in a sport that needs more stars exactly like him.
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