IBF Jr welterweight world champion Paulie Malignaggi returns home to Boxingtalk, and to say the least, he pulled absolutely no punches with what he had to say. “The Magic Man” blasted the powers that be in boxing. Covering a range of topics, Malignaggi talks about money, Paul Williams, Ricky Hatton, Willie Savannah, Juan Diaz, and plenty more! You don't want to miss what the champ had to say in this one. * Warning – Explicit language

BT – What's up champ?

PM – Not much, how's everything going?

BT – All is well, talk about your last performance against Herman Ngoudjo.

PM – Well, I think that he surprised me a little bit and I have to give him some credit. On my end, I think I fought down on him a little bit. I never felt threatened by him, and I guess I should have because he was a little better than I thought. I trained hard for the fight, so I didn't underestimate him physically, but I did a little bit mentally.

BT – So it's fair to say that you underestimated him.

PM – Yes, I underestimated him a little bit. It's easy to do sometimes when you got people constantly in your ears telling you that you're going to dominate this guy, it's hard to feel threatened. I am the type of guy that needs to feel threatened in the ring to raise my game, to raise my level. If you noticed against the better fighters I fight better, against the lesser fighters, I don't raise my game as much. Not to say that Ngoudjo is a washed up fighter, he's a solid guy I just think that I am capable of a lot more.

BT – So I am guessing that's the lesson you learned from that fight, don't underestimate anybody.

PM – Yes, and that leads to other mistakes. The root of the problem was that I took him lightly, and that made me look bad.

BT – Other than taking him too lightly, if you could fight him again, what would you do differently in the ring?

PM – I would have been consistent in what I did. Mentally if I thought he was more of a threat, I would have been more consistent in what I did, and when I am consistent I am at my best.

BT – Did you tell your team not to tell you what you want to hear, but tell you what you need to hear?

PM – Well that's one thing good about having Buddy McGirt, he's been there before. He's an excellent trainer, and he's been where I have been. He told me that the first title defense is always the toughest. He told me that we got that one out of the way, and we'll look better in the next one. I am confident in that, what's funny now, with my last performance everybody is writing me off. How fast people's opinions change! I am still the same fighter that I was 6 months ago. What about Paul Williams? He didn't even win his first title defense! You know? The guy that HBO is spending millions on. He didn't even win his first title defense, and I did! That could have happened to me, but it didn't. At the end of the day it boils down to winning and losing. People can say that I have a big mouth, they can say that I don't look good all of the time, but you know what? Day in, day out, come fight night, I come and I win. I lost to Miguel Cotto, but you know what? So did everybody else, so I am not alone in that situation.

BT – So what do you think that you have to do to get the big networks attention?

PM – I don't give a fuck anymore, I don't give a fuck. I am not kissing anyone's ass. You will never see Paulie Malignaggi kiss anyone's ass. I am never going to say the politically correct thing, I am going to say what's on my mind. I don't give a fuck who likes me and who doesn't.

I am sick and tired of it already, I always thought that my performances should speak for themselves. Sometimes I look great, sometimes I don't. Paul Williams looked really good up until Saturday night, and guess what? He got beat. At the end of the day you gotta make sure you win, no matter how good or bad you look. He was getting a lot of money for that fight, I heard he got a lot for that fight. Paulie Malignaggi needs to see some good money too, but nobody is giving it to him. I am not going to kiss anyone's ass to get it either, my pride comes first.

BT – When can your fans expect you back in the ring?

PM – I would like to fight this coming spring. We are in negotiations with Showtime, who have treated me very well. Possibly we'll get back on Showtime, and there has been talks about possibly with Ricky Hatton later this year, but that guy always looks for the easy way out. There are guys out there who will beat Ricky Hatton, but he chooses to fight easy fights. He won't fight Paulie Malignaggi, when I see it, I will believe it.

BT – Do you want to take a fight before you take a fight with a Ricky Hatton?

PM – I want to fight first before a Ricky Hatton, I know what he's trying to do, and he can kiss my ass! He's trying to get me to go over to England so he can get all of the benefits over there, and get a gift win, and then he'll never have to fight me again. I don't give a fuck what anyone says, you're not getting a win over Ricky Hatton in England. No ifs and's or butt's about it, Ricky Hatton can NOT beat Paulie Malignaggi. But if he fights me in England, he'll have the ref on his side, the judges on his side, and I am not going to let that happen. I want to make sure we fight in the USA, and then we'll find out who really is better, Paulie Malignaggi, or Ricky Hatton. People don't like me because I tell it like it is, I am too honest with these motherfuckers. That's the problem, and they don't like me.

BT – Lamont Peterson has been calling your name a couple of times, is he someone that you would be interested in fighting?

PM – Lamont Peterson is a great fighter, and I was in Lamont's shoes one time, and when I was nobody did me any fucking favors. I am not going to sit here looking behind me doing favors for people. I am trying to get paid, I am trying to get a big network payday. I can't be fucking feeling bad for people and doing people favors. I need to get what I deserve, I paid my dues! There are a lot of guys out there getting paid that are less deserving than Paulie Malignaggi. I am not getting my dues, and I am sick and tired of the bullshit! I am not kissing anyone's ass to get to it. you're going to get the same talkative motherfucker, and if you don't like it, tough shit!

BT – So what fight makes sense for you next?

PM – Juan Diaz's trainer (Willie Savannah) said that I didn't look impressive in my last fight, so they don't want Juan Diaz vs Paulie Malignaggi. What the FUCK does that have to do with anything? I won my first title defense, Paulie Malignaggi is a big name in this division. The guy says I don't look impressive? That's just a fucking excuse. The only thing that would be impressive about a Juan Diaz vs Malignaggi fight would be the ASS kicking that Juan Diaz would get, that would be the only thing impressive in that fight.  If this guy is such a big businessman (Willie Savannah) he wouldn't have had his guy sign with Don King, and not get many fights, that's my opinion of that guy. Let your fucking fighter fight man.

BT – Have you had this animated discussion with your people about getting you the big network fight?

PM – I am always in discussion with my team trying to get to the next level. I am tired of broken promises, I am tired of it. I was told that if I win a world title we'll make you a star. I won a world title, and and I have been fighting on major networks for two years now. Now it's time for everybody to do their FUCKING jobs! Paulie Malignaggi did his job, and now it's time for everyone else to do their job. I am sick and tired of seeing everyone else make it except Paulie Malignaggi. Make it fucking happen! My work talks for me, and my mouth does the rest of the talking.

BT – were you happy with how your documentary came out on Showtime?

PM – Yes, I was very happy with how that came out. It was a good look, and I can't thank Ken Hershman enough. When I couldn't get a fight, they stepped up to the plate and I have to thank them for that.

BT – Do you have any aspirations to do some TV work outside of the ring?

PM – Yes, I would love to do that. I am working on the connections to do that. I would like to branch out and do other things outside of boxing. I enjoy fighting, I just don't like the politics in this game, it's really soured me and turned me off. I would not tell my kids to box, I'll put it to you like that.

BT – What are your thoughts on the big Jermain Taylor vs Kelly Pavlik fight?

PM – That's going to be a great fight, I think Jermain was very disrespected heading into that fight. I think both guys are really good fighters, but I don't think people should write off Jermain Taylor, he's a great fighter.

BT – Do you have any closing thoughts?

PM – Well I am sorry for blowing my lid here, sometimes people don't like me being so honest. That's just the way I am, so we'll see what happens in 2008. I still own a world title and someone has to take it from me, and I'm not going to let that happen.

BT – Paulie if you're going to blow your lid, at least you did it at home here on Boxingtalk. (laughs)

PM – Exactly, that's why I am here baby. Thanks Brad.

 

Z

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