Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
From Ian McNeilly in New York: There were scenes of absolute chaos at this afternoon’s weigh in for tomorrow night’s WBA light-welterweight clash between champion Amir Khan and hometown favourite Paulie Malignaggi.
Potential trouble had been brewing for half an hour at the Essex House hotel as twenty or so Khan fans, bedecked in black hooded tops emblazoned with ‘Khan’s Army’ across the back (incredibly naïve in the current climate over here) had been posturing for the cameras and chanting for their man.
When Malignaggi entered stage right, loud booing and the standard ‘Who are yer?’ chants accompanied him. ‘Magic Man’, unfazed and looking in fabulous nick, weighed in at 139lbs and responded with a throat-slitting gesture.
Khan took the stage, looking a little nervous but in similarly good fettle, and weighed in at 139 ½ lbs.
It was during the customary eye-to-eye photo call that the brewing threat of mischief spilled over into physical argy-bargy. Malignaggi and Khan got a little heated and when the Brooklyn man shoved his head towards the Bolton man, some of Khan’s Army decided to intervene on his behalf.
A huge melee was sparked with around fifty people on the stage dragging each other around. This was definitely above and beyond the normal shenanigans and Team Malignaggi were outraged; their understandable perception was that their turf had been invaded by a group deliberately looking for trouble and one can certainly have sympathy with their point. It did at one point look as if it was going to turn very nasty.
No one was more enraged that well known US promoter and head of Team Malignaggi, Lou Di Bella. Most of the aggro had subsided and I followed bear-like Di Bella into the Malignaggi room. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so angry and I feared for the room’s furniture.
“F**k them! F**k them!” he roared. “If there’s one more breach of security, my guy is out of the fight! I f**king mean it – one more thing goes wrong and I’m pulling my guy!”
Ten minutes later, Di Bella was slightly calmer but no less resolute. “Hey, I’ll tell you what – I’m not convinced about the security at the venueon the night either and that’s for the record. One more security breach and my man is out – you can take that to the bank.”
He was particularly scathing about Khan’s travelling support.
“How do they think that Khan is going to be popular in this country? It’s harmful. They come over here with their ‘Khan Army’ and invade the stage? Let me tell you what – if it was the other way round, there would be a civil rights investigation.”
A member of Malignaggi’s camp laid the blame firmly at the feet of Khan’s fans. “Listen, I’ve been to a million fights and the fighters getting together like that is always going to happen. But I’ve never seen fans do that. We were told we were allowed five guys up there with Paulie and they had like twenty.
“I don’t blame Khan. Just the retards who are following him. They don’t understand what they’re doing.”
Khan’s manager Asif Vali said, “They’re saying that the weigh in should have been closed but has anyone got that in writing? I haven’t seen it. As far as I know, the weigh in was always going to be public.”
It was put to Vali that Khan was looking nervous. “That’s absolute nonsense,” he countered. “He’s upstairs now, calm as anything. He’s getting dressed and getting ready to go to the mosque.”
I met four members of ‘Khan’s Army’ in my hotel lobby this morning and had a bit of craic with them. They seemed like lovely lads and when I had a quick word with one after the melee, he simply said, “Publicity, publicity.”
The thing is, it’s the wrong kind of publicity. Although perhaps not the ‘retards’ they were labelled as being by a member of the opposition camp, they have almost certainly failed to grasp the wider context of what is going on in America at the moment and in particular, New York. In Times Square a few days ago – ten minutes walk away from Central Park South where today’s weigh in took place – a car laden with explosives was left, presumably with the intention of causing death and mayhem once again.
The lead story on the news this morning was that Police have arrested another three men suspected of helping the Pakistani citizen who is thought to have left the car bomb.
This is quite literally not the place to be walking round with menacing looking tops emblazoned with Pakistani (and UK) flags underscored with militaristic references.
The four lads I met walked down 7th Avenue this morning, before the unfortunate events of the weigh in, seemingly unaware of the inflammatory nature of what they no doubt view as a message supporting their man.
I sincerely hope ‘Khan’s Army’ makes it home in one piece
Absolute bedlam mars Khan v Malignaggi weigh in | news.boxrec.com
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Good read is that. Sounds like madness. Not sure where the reporter is going towards the end of it though.
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Sounds like madness, trying to find a video of it at the min with no luck
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
craziness...like the reporter said. If Khan is trying to build up a fanbase in the states, this is not the how to do it. I don't see it as his fault, but you are only good as the company you keep. Unless he is going for the bad guy image, doubt he could pull it off even if he was going for it.
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ono
Good read is that. Sounds like madness. Not sure where the reporter is going towards the end of it though.
I think what he was getting at, with a group of guys looking thuggish sporting Pakistan flags and other militant stuff whatever that means. People could jump to conclusions in a city and jump them or something. People are a bit on edge in NYC right now
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
certainly not the kinda place for Pakistani guys to be messin like that thats for sure, not right now. But for me it wouldn't surprise me if that was a pure publicity effort from Golden Boy. try put the frightners up Paulie. I hope it hasn't, as i'll be cheerin Paulie on with every bit I have.......
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
markb018
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ono
Good read is that. Sounds like madness. Not sure where the reporter is going towards the end of it though.
I think what he was getting at, with a group of guys looking thuggish sporting Pakistan flags and other militant stuff whatever that means. People could jump to conclusions in a city and jump them or something. People are a bit on edge in NYC right now
I just don't think he needed to go there. It was irrelevant to the weigh-in. Plus the Americans should be ok with the Khan army clothing. Afterall, it is just that - clothing. If it troubles them, it makes the Cinco de Mayo/Us Flag t-shirt outrage a little hypocritical. :p
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TheMacMagician
certainly not the kinda place for Pakistani guys to be messin like that thats for sure, not right now. But for me it wouldn't surprise me if that was a pure publicity effort from Golden Boy. try put the frightners up Paulie. I hope it hasn't, as i'll be cheerin Paulie on with every bit I have.......
From what I hear the only one who seemed nervous was Khan, have read a few different articles saying this
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
markb018
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TheMacMagician
certainly not the kinda place for Pakistani guys to be messin like that thats for sure, not right now. But for me it wouldn't surprise me if that was a pure publicity effort from Golden Boy. try put the frightners up Paulie. I hope it hasn't, as i'll be cheerin Paulie on with every bit I have.......
From what I hear the only one who seemed nervous was Khan, have read a few different articles saying this
I imagine he will be a little nervous. Paulie does carry some power afterall.
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ono
Quote:
Originally Posted by
markb018
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TheMacMagician
certainly not the kinda place for Pakistani guys to be messin like that thats for sure, not right now. But for me it wouldn't surprise me if that was a pure publicity effort from Golden Boy. try put the frightners up Paulie. I hope it hasn't, as i'll be cheerin Paulie on with every bit I have.......
From what I hear the only one who seemed nervous was Khan, have read a few different articles saying this
I imagine he will be a little nervous. Paulie does carry some power afterall.
Enough to stop Khan :)
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ono
Quote:
Originally Posted by
markb018
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ono
Good read is that. Sounds like madness. Not sure where the reporter is going towards the end of it though.
I think what he was getting at, with a group of guys looking thuggish sporting Pakistan flags and other militant stuff whatever that means. People could jump to conclusions in a city and jump them or something. People are a bit on edge in NYC right now
I just don't think he needed to go there. It was irrelevant to the weigh-in. Plus the Americans should be ok with the Khan army clothing.
Afterall, it is just that - clothing. If it troubles them, it makes the Cinco de Mayo/Us Flag t-shirt outrage a little hypocritical. :p
haha it is funny how when the other side does it, the dreaded minorities, all of a sudden national flags take on a sinister and intimidating character. Poor America was in fear it seems, terrorised by these evil men wearing their milataristic, hate inspired tshirts. Di bella nearly pulls out his fighter over the threat.
I think they needed that school principle there. He wouldn't have let Khan's army into the building dressed in that garb and they would have not been there to kick off :-)
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
http://video.boxingscene.com/filess/...ggiweight1.wmv
weigh in video
looks like Khan starts it off with a push
Re: Khan v Malignaggi weigh in kicks off!!
Iam hopping Paulie stops Khan or even just beats him, would make my weekend very happy 1.
