Malignaggi Speaks On Boxing Showdown With Cotto

ByBoxing Press

Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (21-0, 5 KOs), preparing his June 10 title fight against WBO light welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (26-0, 22 KOs) at Madison Square Garden, was interviewed at training camp with his friend and occasional sparring partner, “Ireland’s” John Duddy, on “The Mouthpiece Boxing Show with Anthony Pepe on Boston’s Boxing Station 1510 The Zone.” The complete interview can be heard Saturday (May 27), 12 noon-1 PM/ET, at 1510AM in Boston or on the Internet by going to www.1510thezone.com.)

Read on for quotes from that taped radio show:

June 10 at MSG…..
“It’s going to be the event of the year. There’s going to be a lot of enthusiasm and involve a lot of people with all of the Italians, Irish and Puerto Ricans. There’s something for everybody. This is a matter of national pride. Boxing brings that out like no other sport other than maybe soccer.

“It’s the future of boxing with Cotto and me fighting for the world title along with John (Duddy). We’re all in our mid-twenties and ready to be superstars. My next fight always is the most important of my career. My last fight was my most important, now this is my most important fight. Once I’ve won it isn’t important anymore and my next fight will be the most important.”

Getting ready for the Big Show…..
“I live for this. It’s like a drug; hard to explain…..electric! When I make the ring walk it’ll be like electricity going through me.”

Fighting Cotto…..
“The so called experts think Cotto’s going to break me down. Not many are picking me. They must not have watched me fight because I breakdown my opponents. I control the tempo of my fights. At the end of the fight you’re going to see Cotto broken down. I’m going to use the negative press as fuel for the fire.Cotto thinks he’s going to come in and knock me out. He’s in for a rude awakening.

“Miguel Cotto has never fought anybody with my style and ability. Let’s see how he answers pressure. There are a lot of questions he has to answer when he fights me June 10. Is he willing to be knocked out by walking into my punches or cruise and lose his dignity?”

John Duddy…..
“We have a mutual respect for each other. John knows what he’s doing and he keeps going. We’re good examples for each other. We have high goals. We’re prospects who a lot of people expect big things from. If I had a genie’s lamp I’d wish I could hit like him.”

The large Puerto Rican crowd expected at MSG…..
“I relish big crowds and it doesn’t matter if they’re booing or yelling for me. (The ones booing) I’ll make them go home unhappy.”

Being a boxer of Italian heritage…..
“I’m proud of my roots. I lived there (Italy) for six years as a kid. But I want to go down in history as one of the best fighters, not just in Italy, in the world.”