Exclusive Boxing Interview: Paulie Malignaggi

Photo ©Jim Everett/SaddoBoxing

Tonight on the HBO Boxing After Dark series, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi will challenge Lovemore N’Dou for his IBF Light Welterweight title at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.

This will be Malignaggi’s second shot at a light welterweight title in just over a year. Last year, he faced Miguel Cotto for the WBO title at Madison Square Garden on the eve of the Puerto Rican day parade.

Although he suffered his first loss, Malignaggi showed tremendous heart and courage as he fought through several rounds after suffering a broken cheek bone and a bloody left eye.

After his loss to Cotto, Malignaggi stepped back into the ring in February of this year and improved his record to 22-1 (5) with a unanimous decision against Edner Cherry.

The “Magic Man” has been busy both in and out of the ring. Earlier this month his self-titled documentary, “Magic Man”, debuted at the Hoboken Film Festival which not only documents his life but focuses on the build up to his title fight against Cotto.

Malignaggi is focused for his fight on Saturday against N’Dou and plans to dominate and embarrass the champion with his boxing skills in what should be an interesting match up.

Ironically, both Malignaggi and N’Dou are the only two fighters to have gone the distance of twelve rounds with Cotto.

SaddoBoxing had the opportunity to speak with the “Magic Man” in an exclusive interview to discuss his documentary, his upcoming fight and his plans in the light welterweight division.

SaddoBoxing: You have had a full schedule with the debut of your documentary “Magic Man” at the Hoboken International Film Festival and your upcoming title fight against Lovemore N’dou on June 16; how have you been keeping up?

Paulie Malignaggi: “It doesn’t bother me at all. If you are going to be a fighter you have to be on top of things both inside and outside the ring. I have gotten used to it, it doesn’t break my focus. I am actually looking forward to the fight as well as all the rest of the extracurricular activities.”

SB: How did everything go for you at the film festival last week?

PM: “Everything went well, I enjoyed it, I think people enjoyed it. It won an award for Best of the Festival Audience Award which was a step in the right direction too.”

SB: How did the opportunity for the documentary come about?

PM: “I was approached by Lou [DiBella] and he said he had some investors that wanted to do something on me. It was a little over a year ago before the Cotto fight. Obviously I was interested and we just went along and got some footage and filmed everything and they put it together and it seems pretty good.”

SB: I’m not that familiar with how the film festival works; is the hope that the movie gets picked up or it goes directly to DVD?

PM: “I’m not exactly familiar with everything either but I think it has to do good at these film festivals first and then maybe it will get picked up by somebody. I guess the fact that it won an award in the first festival they put it in; I guess that’s a step in the right direction.”

SB: I understand the focus of the film is the build up and preparation for your first title fight against Miguel Cotto?

PM: “Yeah.”

SB: Are you happy with the finished product and feel it provides an accurate representation?

PM: “Yeah, I’m happy with the way everything went in the film, as far as the actual story and everything I’m happy with that. We’ll see how far it goes now.

SB: Did you feel you would get another chance to fight for a world title so soon after your loss to Cotto last year?

PM: “The reason I took a tough fight in my last fight was because I was looking to get a title fight right after that. So, I guess it was up to me. People said come back with a cupcake kinda guy, come back in a local show kind of thing.

“I was confident in myself so I went and fought (Edner) Cherry on HBO. I beat him. So I earned my spot for a title, I think not everybody gets one right away but I came back in a tough fight and I won a tough fight. A lot of guys would come back in a soft kind of fight so they won’t get a title fight right away so fast. The fact that I did that I think proved my worth and I think I deserve it.”

SB: You have mentioned during a previous media conference call that N’dou made some derogatory comments about you, would you care to comment on what he said?

PM: “He called me a brat, he said I have a big mouth, he’s gonna shut my mouth for me, just things to nit pick at me. The funny thing is he probably did more talking for this promotion than I did. I think he is just trying to get in my head. I am not a kid anymore, I am 26 years old, I have 23 pro fights, those types of things don’t get in my head, it just riles me up more and on Saturday night I am going to take it out on him.”

SB: Did you make any direct responses to his comments?

PM: “Of course. I responded back to him, I called him an old man and told him that there is no room for him in the junior welterweight division. He’s an old man and there is a lot of young talent in this weight class so he’s got to go. There is no room for old people here.

“Obviously he came back with the fact that I am talking is because I’m scared. But, obviously if this guy believes his own words than he’s got to be really scared; because if the more you talk the more you’re scared than this guy must be scared out of his pants. You know what I mean?”

SB: How long have you been preparing for this fight?

PM: “I have been preparing for two months.”

SB: This is your second fight with your new trainer Buddy McGirt, how has it been working with him?

PM: “Much better camp this time around; I think we had a feel for each other already so I think the results will show a much better product.”

SB: Is there anything specific that he has taught you or has he provided more of an overall influence to further enhance your boxing skills?

PM: “It’s been more of an overall influence, I think you will see a little bit more of a difference and additions to my style, but I think I will let you guys decide that for yourselves when you see me fight on Saturday night. Definitely he has been a positive influence on my career.”

SB: Would you care to make any predictions for June 16?

PM: “A dominating performance. Lovemore N’Dou has never really been dominated in these fights. He’s given everybody he’s fought tough fights. I predict I’m going to dominate him and make it look easy doing it; maybe not make it look easy doing it because he is probably going to make me work for it, but make it so there is no doubt that when he goes back to Australia he knows he got embarrassed.”

SB: What do you feel about the division as a whole right now?

PM: “I think it is a solid division, I want to fight Ricky Hatton. Everyone says he’s the best so we’ll see if he takes me on after this. There are a lot of young guys out there. I think the guy that fought the other night, the African guy, [Herman] Ngoudjo. I think he is a joke. I think (Jose Luis) Castillo is finished as a fighter so I don’t think there is that big of a deal with the Hatton and Castillo fight as much as people are making it out to be.

“The fact that this guy gave Castillo a tough fight in January proves it. This guy fought last Friday night and he looked like a joke, he looked pathetic and they are going to rank him and try and get him title shots? I think that just goes to show you where Castillo spans as far as his career, he hasn’t been the same since the [Diego] Corrales fight, neither had Corrales before he died obviously.”

SB: Thanks for taking time out of your schedule and I wish you the best of luck with your film and on June 16.

PM: “Thank you, it was a pleasure.”