Paulie Malignaggi opens up about potential fight with boxing legend ahead of world title clash at BKB 54

EXCLUSIVE: Paulie Malignaggi could go head-to-head with a fellow boxing icon if he can overcome Rolando Dy.

On Saturday night, at the AO Arena in Manchester, UK, ‘The Magic Man’ will challenge the former UFC star for his BKB world championship belt, in a showdown that looks destined to create fireworks.

Paulie Malignaggi opens up about potential Victor Ortiz fight

With a plethora of boxing stars ditching the gloves to compete in bare-knuckle, a potential clash between Paulie Malignaggi and Victor Ortiz has generated interest among fight fans. However, while he’s aware of how much the combat sports community would revel in watching him trade punches with the ex-WBC welterweight King, the 45-year-old knows he can’t afford to take his eye off the enormous task he has on his hands this weekend.

In an exclusive interview with Sporf, Malignaggi explained: “That’s a fight that BKB probably has on the radar, but I don’t want to overlook Rolando Dy, who’s a great champion. Also, at this stage of my life, I don’t take any result for granted. Nobody expects you to be here at this age, still executing the game plan. I know BKB probably talks about Victor Ortiz and me, but Victor has to do his first bare-knuckle fight, and your first bare-knuckle fight can be can be a bit shocking at first, so we’ll have to see how he comes out of it, and how I come out of my fight on Saturday.”

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Paulie Malignaggi is fighting in Ricky Hatton’s memory at BKB 54

Back in 2008, Malignaggi co-main evented at the City of Manchester Stadium, which is now called the Etihad, with the great Ricky Hatton, before they eventually battled it out themselves at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

After suffering an 11th-round TKO defeat at the hands of ‘The Hitman’, the Italian-American developed a close friendship with his former opponent.

Now, with the British hero having tragically passed away, Malignaggi intends to fight in his memory on Saturday evening, with the superstar and BKB joining forces to make an incredible gesture.

The New Yorker said: “It’s a bittersweet moment, because we’re mourning the death of Ricky Hatton. 18 years ago, we both fought in a major stadium, where we were both defending world championships. This time, I’m challenging for a BKB world title. The memory of Ricky is hovering above the event with the donation we’re doing to The Hatton Foundation, with a piece of every ticket going to that. It feels amazing to still be competing at a high-level, but Manchester feels very different without Ricky Hatton being with us.

“We’re donating a piece of every ticket to The Ricky Hatton Foundation for mental health awareness. I think with the loss of Ricky, it shows the importance of raising awareness for mental health because people are suffering more and more. Lots of people are going through a tough time, so it’s important to bring this to light.”

Featured Image Credit: BKB