IBF Boxing Champion Paulie Malignaggi Honored By New Jersey Ironmen

Reigning IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (24-1, 5 KOs) will serve as honorary captain of the New Jersey Ironmen, a member of the first-year professional Major Indoor Soccer League, Friday night (Jan. 25) at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

The Ironmen (10-5) host Monterrey LaRaza (8 PM/ET start) and Malignaggi will participate in the opening kick-off ceremony. Paulie is an avid soccer fan who celebrated when Italy won the 2006 World Cup. His father, Nelo, played professional soccer in Sicily and last year Paulie was a special guest of the famed AC Milan team.

“I grew-up loving soccer in an Italian household,” Malignaggi said. “Soccer is part of our culture. I support local teams, especially a soccer team like the New Jersey Ironmen, which has a lot of successful Italian-American players. I want to be a part of helping to build-up soccer in this country.”