?The Magic Man? Paulie Malignaggi has not stepped in the ring since his April 19th with former champion, Shawn Porter. The fight started with Malignaggi working from the outside and trying to establish the jab, but quickly turned when Porter dragged Paulie into a rough fight and knocked the former 2 division champion down and eventually out. Since the defeat many have wondered if we have seen the last of Malignaggi inside the ring.
In part 2 of my ?On The Ropes? interview with Paulie Malignaggi, I get his views on the future of Floyd Mayweather and if he thinks we will finally see Mayweather-Pacquiao. Paulie talks about the differences in the Manny Pacquiao of today, and the Pacquiao of the past. Additionally, Paulie gives his thoughts on his own boxing career and if we might see him enter the ring once again. Here is what Paulie Malignaggi had to say.
Jenna J: Floyd only has two fights left in his contract. Do you think the time is right now for him to fight Manny Pacquiao?
Paulie Malignaggi: It?s possible, who knows. I guess for the sake of the hype that?s been around that fight, why not make it? Personally I think if you really know your boxing, you?re not really that excited about that fight, but I think guys like Thurman and Khan in my opinion have a real shot at beating Floyd Mayweather. They would also probably beat Manny Pacquiao as well.
At this point we?re in 2014 going into 2015, I think those two fighters especially have a shot at probably beating both guys, more than likely. The way Floyd looked, I don?t think he?s gonna make some real improvements in his next fight and it?s unfortunate, but it?s probably part of the aging process. I think Amir and Thurman are real, real threats to Floyd Mayweather right now, and obviously to Pacquiao as well. I think they?re a threat to both guys.
Jenna J: In your opinion, what?s the biggest difference between the Manny Pacquiao of 2014 and the Manny Pacquiao of 2010, when the Floyd Mayweather fight was being hyped the most?
Paulie Malignaggi: I think there?s a lot of differences. I think we can all speculate with what the big differences were. At this point there?s a lot less explosiveness in Pacquiao, we?ll say that.
Jenna J: What did you see in his last fight with Timothy Bradley? What?s different in Pacquiao in terms of the way that he goes out there?
Paulie Malignaggi: He just doesn?t look as explosive to me anymore. The Pacquiao hype train is based really on about two or three years of his career, it?s nothing based on before then and there?s nothing based on after that because nothing before or after that was very impressive about Pacquiao. It?s based on about a two or three year run Manny Pacquiao had where he looked like Superman. I think everybody is holding on to that.
He?s never looked like that when he?s done random drug testing, so I don?t know what all the fuzz is about. At 35 years old, you?re probably not gonna see that anyway. The fight doesn?t really tickle my fancy like it does for some other people. I think Amir Khan and Keith Thurman beat Pacquiao and I think they have a more than an above average chance to beat Floyd Mayweather as well, this current Floyd Mayweather anyway.
Jenna J: Miguel Cotto is the middleweight champion of the world, do you think Floyd would have interest in going after that just for the prestige of going after a middleweight title belt?
Paulie Malignaggi: You never know. I think Miguel Cotto is very dangerous, I don?t think he gets enough credit for the way he fought the first fight with Mayweather. I think he fought a very dangerous fight ? I only had it 7-5 for Floyd Mayweather, 115-113. I think when we talk about Mayweather?s tougher fights of his career, I don?t think Cotto gets enough credit for the performance he had that night. That was a really tough fight for Floyd.
I don?t see Floyd giving him a rematch. Cotto is one of those guys that he hits so hard and he?s actually really good that if you?ve beaten him, you?d rather see him in your rear view mirror and not have to deal with him again. I?ve been in the ring with him and I don?t think I want to see him again, and he bet me. I don?t know, I think when you deal with a guy with that kind of punching power, you?re just kind of glad he?s behind you.
Jenna J: The last time we saw you in the ring was the fight with Shawn Porter. The fight didn?t go the way anyone expected. What are your reflections on that fight?
Paulie Malignaggi: It happens, we all have bad nights. We?ll see if I can get myself together and make another run at it or if I?ll just stick to commentating. I kind of wonder to myself every day, what I really want to do, we?ll see.
Jenna J: You have a lot of fans out there who would like to see you back in the ring. What kind of fights would you be looking out there for yourself? Would you look for a tune up first or would you want to go out there with a belt holder?
Paulie Malignaggi: I don?t know. I think if I was to fight again, I would want to earn it. I?ve never really gone right back in to a big fight if I lost a big fight like that. I don?t mind going down the ladder and getting myself back together because it also reestablishes my self belief when I do that.
I?ve done that ever time, where I?ve taken a loss that wasn?t so good for my career and I?ve gone back down the ladder and worked my way back up. Maybe not slowly, but maybe taking one or two lesser fights just to get that self belief back in me, and that?s really what it is with me, it?s about that confidence. I definitely wouldn?t want to jump right into a big fight, I don?t think I deserve that.
I?ve been offered a shot at Leonard Bundu, the European champion who is also Italian, so it could be an interesting fight if I took that. I don?t know, I haven?t really made up my mind, I don?t know what I want to do. I?m eligible for the EBU title because I have Italian citizenship but I?m not quite sure.
