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Malignaggi talks Italy training, Senchenko and mid-fight tweet

Phil D. Jay 
WBN Editor
‘Magic Man’ ready for second world title on April 29th

Paulie Malignaggi has been sparring in Milan this week as he prepares for his seventh world title fight on April 29th against WBA champion Vyacheslav Senchenko at the Donbass Arena in Ukraine.

The New Yorker, who held the IBF light-welterweight title between 2007 and 2008, is ready to use his wealth of experience to overcome the undefeated title holder and believes that his preparation is the key to his success.

“Camp has been great, I can't complain at all,” Malignaggi told World Boxing News.

“I'm in Italy with a great team behind me. My trainer, sparring partners, friends and are family out here. We have @navmansouri (British fighter Navid Mansouri) @nolosworld and @crepaldiandrea1 (Andrea Crepaldi) out here. It's perfect, although the weather hasn't been so nice though.”

The 31 year-old leaves his Italian base to travel to the Ukraine for his fifth world title challenge on Monday ahead of the bout on Sunday week and is confident of taking the title back to Brooklyn and ending Senchenko’s perfect 32-0 record.

“I'm the teacher on April 29th. Boxing 101 will be in session and I'm handing out detentions," he explained.

“It would mean the world to me to win another world title and become a two division champion, this is what boxing is all about.”

Malignaggi has shared the ring with some of the world’s top 140 and 147lb fighters in the past, including his gutsy showing against Miguel Cotto and bouts with Juan Diaz (twice), Ricky Hatton, Lovemore Ndou (twice) and Amir Khan.

Since hitting 147lbs, the ‘Magic Man’ has scored three victories in a row, leading him to another opportunity to get back to the summit of world boxing and set-up some potentially huge unification bouts with the other welterweight champions, which include Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

“I'm looking to get my name back in the line of fire in the 147lb division,” stated Malignaggi.

“I'm not just a stepping stone for him to boost his record. Paulie Malignaggi will show that my name holds weight and that I am an elite fighter."

‘The Twitter King’ has also recently expressed his desire to become the first fighter to ‘tweet’ during a world title fight and whether tongue-in-cheek or not, I wouldn’t put it past American to be the first to pull it off.

“If the Ukraine has Wi-Fi then yes, I may do it. If they don't, then it will have to be on hold on until I get back to the United States,” he joked.

You can follow Paulie on Twitter @PaulMalignaggi

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