Press Release: Light welterweight contender Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi opened training camp three weeks ago in Vero Beach, Florida in preparation for his ring return February 17, 2007 against Edner Cherry, 21-4-2, in the ten-round main event on HBO live from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Malignaggi, 21-1, hasn’t fought since June 10, when he lost a courageous decision to Miquel Cotto in which he sustained a fractured cheekbone and cut over his eye. Malignaggi is working with a new trainer, Buddy McGirt, and is accompanied by manager Sal LoNano and strength & conditioning coach, Frankie LoNano. The outspoken Brooklyn fighter reported in from Vero Beach: “I’ve definitely improved a lot working with Buddy. We’ve worked on a lot of different things and I’ve become a more complete fighter. People will see a lot of it in this fight but even more in time. We’re fine tuning things like balance, angles and timing. I had always relied on my natural ability. My style is what I am but we’re working on sitting down on my punches and balance, offense and defense. [Cherry] seems to like to box. He’s a solid fighter but he hasn’t fought anybody on Paulie Malignaggi’s level. He’s going to be fighting on a high world-class level and he’s in for a rude awakening. When the bell rings he’s going to be into a totally different world, like I was when I went into the Cotto fight. He’s going to be fighting a very hungry fighter. I still have an aftertaste from my last fight. I didn’t like losing and I’m preparing myself 100-percent never to lose again.”