NYC Boxing Icon Paulie Malignaggi Gets Lovemore N’dou In IBF Challenge

DiBella Entertainment’s Paulie Malignaggi challenges veteran world titlist Lovemore N’dou in an IBF Junior Welterweight Championship bout on Saturday night, June 16 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, it was announced today by DBE president Lou DiBella.

HBO Sports exciting Boxing After Dark series will televise live. It will be Malignaggi’s second straight appearance on BAD.

In the co-feature, Brownsville, Brooklyn’s Curtis Stevens (17-1, 12 KO’s) makes his HBO debut in a 10 round super middleweight battle against fast rising prospect Andre Dirrell (11-0, 7 KO’s), the 2004 Olympic Bronze medalist. Stevens is yet another fighter groomed and developed on DBE’s Broadway Boxing, sponsored by HBO.

“Magic Man” Malignaggi (22-1, 5 KO’s) comes off a convincing unanimous decision triumph over Edner “Cherry Bomb” Cherry on February 17 at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom. Malignaggi made his return to the ring a winning one in his first fight since his courageous battle against world champion Miguel Cotto last June 10.

N’dou (40-8-1, 30 KO’s), fighting out of Sydney, Australia, by way of South Africa, is dubbed the “Black Panther” and will provide Malignaggi with a championship test, as he has never failed to rumble with the best of the best. “Lovemore makes great fights, and I expect him to do the same on June 16,”said promoter DiBella.

Stevens (17-1, 12 KO’s) comes off a convincing unanimous decision victory over Darnell Boone on March 22 at the Hammerstein Ballroom, his fourth straight victory.

Flint, Michigan native Dirrell is undefeated in 11 professional tries, including 7 KO’s, so it will be the gifted boxer/puncher vs. knockout artist when the two collide.

Tickets go on sale Monday, May 14th for $150; $100; $75; $45, and will be available
through the Mohegan Sun Box Office or any Ticketmaster outlet.