Boxing Update: Malignaggi Hand Injury Healing, Ready For Hatton In November

IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi, 25-1 (5), had a cast removed from his right hand last Tuesday and he has started rehabilitation.

Malignaggi underwent hand surgery May 28 to repair a fractured metacarpal bone of the middle finger on his right hand, suffered during his title-defense win by 12 round decision against Lovemore N’dou in Manchester, England.

“I feel good about the whole situation,” Malignaggi said yesterday from his Brooklyn home. “Getting the cast off was the first step, now rehabilitation starts. There’s no pain or swelling of the hand. I’m moving forward, thanks to Dr. Margles, who has saved my career several times. I’m looking ahead to a big showdown in the fall. I’ll be ready to rock ‘n roll against Ricky Hatton.”

Renowned boxing hand specialist, Dr. Steven Margles, operated on Paulie at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts. He has also repaired the hands of former world champions Vinny Paz, “Irish” Micky Ward and Harry Simon, to name a few of his more notable boxing patients.

“I removed his cast and took x-rays,” Dr. Margles explained. “There was no pain and the fracture is healing like magic. Right now, he’s on or ahead of schedule.”