Paulie Malignaggi: “I plan on shining come January 5th!”
 INTERVIEW By Benny Henderson Jr (Dec 13, 2007) Doghouse Boxing
After a seven month lay off from the ring the “Magic Man” Paulie Malignaggi 23-1 (5) is set to return January 5th at Bally’s Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, to defend his IBF 140-pound strap against the once beaten Herman Ngoudjo 16-1 (9) in a scheduled twelve round jr. welterweight championship match-up to be televised live on Showtime’s championship boxing 9:00 PM ET/PT.
The Brooklyn boxer has the speed and style to disrupt his opponent’s attack, and his savvy ring presence has
done so against all but one in his journey this far. The only blemish on Paulie’s record came unanimously from the hands of the unbeaten Miguel Cotto, but since his one defeat Malignaggi has earned back to back wins, including his last outing that earned Paulie the IBF jr. welterweight strap with a unanimous victory over Lovemore N’dou.
Now Malignaggi is ready to return in what Paulie projects will be a shining moment. Read on to see what the “Magic man” had to say on his upcoming bout, as well as his future in the fight world, enjoy.
Benny Henderson Jr.
Hey Paulie, first off I would like to say thanks for taking the time out once again to speak to Doghouse Boxing. We have not spoke since you earned your IBF strap, so I say congratulations, how does it feel to carry the title as champ?
Paulie Malignaggi
Thank you, it is a good feeling it was definitely a dream come true to become world champion. Anytime a fighter wins their first world championship the emotions are always high. But at the same time since I won the championship I have had trouble getting a fight. So I want to thank Showtime for giving me the opportunity to fight on their network and I plan on being very explosive, and hopefully developing a great relationship with them. So in a way being a champ as positive as it was it still feels like I am chasing something, I still feel like I am hungry for something. It was great winning the championship but I feel like there is more to this.
BH
You stated that since you have won a world title strap it has been hard to get a fight, could you explain why?
PM
I wish I knew the answer, it is definitely not because there is a lack of challenges because when you have a world championship everybody wants to fight you. There has been trouble on getting a date on a major network, so that is why I want to thank Showtime because they gave me the opportunity, after I fought on HBO twice they didn’t. I big thank you to Showtime for doing this for me. I thought I would be fighting a few months after I won my title but I had to wait six months and that was a little tough going through that ordeal, but you can only look to the future and not the past. The future is that there will be Paulie Malignaggi on Showtime doing big things.
BH
Yeah, I won a small title in Arkansas and I have yet to hear from a major network so I know how you feel.
(Both Laughing)
PM
See man you understand my frustration.
BH
You are going to open up the year with a title defense against Herman Ngoudjo; can you give the readers your thoughts on that match-up?
PM
It is a title match-up; I think it is a solid match-up on paper. I plan on dominating Ngoudjo just like I practically dominate all of my opponents. I plan on being explosive and I definitely plan on having my own fireworks come January 5th. It is good match-up and an entertaining match-up, Paulie Malignaggi always had good ratings that is a fact not an opinion and January 5th you are going to get your moneys worth.
BH
Ngoudjo has fought some decent opposition; his one loss coming from Castillo, what do you know about Herman, as far as his talents that may give you a problem and his weaknesses that you feel you can capitalize on?
PM
I cannot really give away the game plan, Herman does what he does and he does it well, he is at this point in his career because he has worked hard for it and earned it. He is going to find that roadblock in Paulie Malignaggi, a tough one to over come, so much so that he is not going to over come it. He is here for a reason and January 5th he is going to be derailed.
BH
You have been banging in the pros for about six years now, and now have a world title, looking back since day one as a pro, how do you feel you have matured, not only as a fighter but as a person?
PM
I have matured a lot, a lot of it has to do with me taking a lot of things for granted when I first turned pro, I thought this was going to come so easy. I started getting injuries and started getting hurt and lay offs with my hands that put my career in jeopardy. I had to mature more as a person than a fighter because I had to realize that life wasn’t so easy as an adult not just as a fighter. It kind of grounded me a bit, so all of my experiences in general has helped me grow and learn that you cannot take anything for granted in life, especially in this career because it can easily be taken away from you just as easily as you got it.
BH
I know you have your sights set on your title defense, but who are some of the major players in the 140-pound division that you feel would not only better your career but grab the fans attention?
PM
The 140-pound division is a little bit in a dilemma right now in the United States because I am the only American champion we have right now. Everybody else at the top of this division is foreign, there are a couple of hot contenders coming up like the Peterson brothers Hopkins but they aren’t really known enough to make that money fight, the fight that will get you paid. I can tell you one fight at a time; I don’t have my eye on anybody really. You have all the other belt holders who are solid fighters but all foreign fighters, if I had to sit here and come up with one fighter that would probably make a good fight in the U.S. for me, I’d say if Juan Diaz would come up to 140-pounds, Malignaggi and Diaz would be a good fight.
BH
You closed out 2007 (2-0) and won a world title, so how would you grade yourself for this past year?
PM
I would have to give myself a sold grade from having to come back from a tough loss and winning a world title the year after, I cannot really give myself an A because I was not busy enough so maybe a B+.
BH
Any pre fight words for your opponent?
PM
Tell him to come ready man, I am not going to say that I am unbeatable because I have one loss on my record but anytime you come against Paulie Malignaggi you better come good.
BH
Anything in closing?
PM
Thank everybody out there, all my fans; I know it has been disappointing to wait six months for me to fight, I want to thank Showtime and I plan on shining come January 5th and developing a relationship with Showtime.
I would like to thank Bob Trieger for setting up this interview, and a thanks goes out to Paulie for his time and thoughts.
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