Former two-weight world champion Paulie Malignaggi(33-6, 7KO’s) was being mobbed by a whole heap of people when Elie Sechback managed to capture a few soundbites on camera for EsNewsReporting.com.
Paulie has one foot out of the sport now after a his defeat to Shawn Porter in April last year in which he lost his IBF World Welterweight title and has become a regular fixture for the Showtime announce team for all of their big fights. This more consistent exposure is likely a contributing factor to the mob scene on the video I’m referring to, where he is being grabbed and hugged from all angles as fans from the world over look for a piece of the ‘Magic Man’.
Towards the end of the recording Paulie reveals just how highly he rates his former opponent Amir Khan, who is currently courting the attention of both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao as they continue their stand-off in negotiations for a prospective May clash.
“I think Amir beats them both right now. He controls range better.”
Khan looked more complete than in any previous appearance when he brought his record to 30-3 in December with a pristine points decision over Devon Alexander in his third fight in the welterweight division, and Paulie feels he has more to fear from the young lions in his new weight class than the old guard.
“Amir’s toughest fights are [Keith] Thurman and [IBF champion Kell] Brook. It’s all fucked up styles I’m telling you.”
Thurman packs the kind of punch to trouble any human and would have been the hands-down favourite to KO the version of Khan, who trained under Freddie Roach a few years ago. That Khan had a tendency to be reckless in pursuit of landing his combinations and came unstuck when he fought a power-puncher with good timing in Danny Garcia down at 140 .lb..
However, this version of Khan, who has taken on the cautious and calculated approach of his latest trainer Virgil Hunter, is a proposition far removed from his old self. He is a lot more premeditated when launching those lightning fists and looks a lot more sturdy with an extra seven pounds on him.
As for Kell Brook, who ripped the title from the aforementioned Porter in his very first defence, he is constantly being belittled by Khan and his camp for his lack of ‘name value’ despite being a champion alongside Mayweather and Pacquiao at welterweight. He presents a similar challenge to Thurman with his accurate and hard punches, but this fight would have an added air of tension due to their longstanding rivalry in the UK.
