Skip to main content

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

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

WBN Remembers: "Gypsy Boy" Ernie Smith

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor  (picure by boxrec.com)  After almost a year and a half without one of boxing’s great journeymen, World Boxing News is looking back at the 161-fight career of Worcestershire warrior Ernie Smith, concentrating on his contribution in the ring, rather than the tragic way his life ended out of it. Smith turned professional at super-featherweight in 1998 at the Park Hall Hotel in Wolverhampton, losing a six rounder against Welshman Woody Greenaway.  One month later, Ernie was thrown in with an unknown prospect by the name of Gavin Rees (former world champion and current British Lightweight Champion) who he also took the distance over four rounds. The “Gypsy Boy” then managed to string together a four fight unbeaten run together in early 1999 and ended the year winning five out of his twelve contests, but by this time had already delved into the journeyman pool of boxers with a record of 5-8-1. After settling at the welterweight limit, Ernie gained a su
Read more

BBC make Luke Campbell mum and sister death gaffe

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Picture from the BBC  Gabby Logan announces wrong family tragedy The BBC made a major mistake on the final showing of their Olympics Tonight show as host Gabby Logan sparked an anxious quizzing by boxer Luke Campbell’s fans as they announced the ‘loss’ of his mother and sister at a young age. Campbell, 24, took the gold medal in the men’s bantamweight final earlier in the day and was then congratulated by Logan, who announced his victory as a triumph over adversity after the Hull fighter suffered the tragedy six years ago. Unbeknown to presenter Logan, it was Welshman Freddie Evans, who also boxes in an Olympic final tomorrow, who suffered the tragedy as he lost his mother Tracy and sister Scarlett in a car accident in 2006. Fans of Olympic champion Campbell and boxing in general, immediately began handing out sympathy to the boxer after believing what was announced to be true. Logan, after an outcry on social networking website Twitte
Read more

Soccer star Tim Cahill’s cousin Jai Opetaia, 16, spars Danny Green

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor (Picture from The Brisbane Times) Youngster shares ring with IBO champ Jai Opetaia, cousin of Everton Football Club’s star soccer player Tim Cahill, is a sixteen year-old amateur fighter who is deep in preparations for the forthcoming world youth championships.  Recently the youngster was given the opportunity to spar with Australia’s IBO world light-heavyweight champion Danny Green as he prepares to take on Antonio Tarver and gain valuable experience before his trip to Europe. Opetaia, who hails from Watanobbi, has already taken former world champion Anthony Mundine a few rounds in sparring and has added another world renowned boxer to the list in 38 year-old Green. The Australian amateur team departs for the championships in Kazakhstan this Tuesday and Opetaia thinks the gym time with the Aussie boxing starts will stand him in good stead as he looks to claim gold at the under 80kg category. “It feels pretty special,” Opetaia told the Central Coas
Read more