Paulie Malignaggi vows to dethrone Amir Khan at Madison Square Garden -- The Guardian

By Kevin Mitchell, Guardian.co.uk

Paulie Malignaggi, who is normally a quote waiting to happen, finally broke cover for the media in his home town today, four days before his challenge for Amir Khan's WBA light-welterweight title at Madison Square Garden.

The Brooklyn stylist and Khan met for a photoshoot on Wall Street, ringing the Nasdaq opening bell – and Khan nearly missed it because he got caught in traffic. In New York. Who would have thought it?

"I made some statements after the Ricky Hatton fight [a defeat in 2008] about how that wasn't me," Malignaggi said. "Everyone wants to discredit me. I came back. I do what I had to do. This is redemption for me. All you guys wrote my obituary. This is my chance to beat someone you guys say is great. He said he wanted Paulie Malignaggi. Be careful what you wish for."

As for Khan, he reckons: "This is your last chance. You're going to be crying on the night. This is a business. It's a shame I have to hurt people. I'm a nice guy."

Until now, Malignaggi's ticket-selling regime has been the occasional interview and the exchange of Twitter insults with the champion – which explains why the Wamu Theatre, an adjunct to the Garden's 20,000-seater main arena, has not sold out its 5,000 seats for Saturday's event.

Still, it is a start for Khan, who is making his American debut against an opponent whose lack of power is as well known as his outrageous hairstyles. (He is currently sporting a neat, beaded affair.)

Malignaggi's demeanour, though, was self-consciously laid-back as he blew bubble gum during a rambling, back-slapping preamble by the promoters. You could not blame him. They might have employed their words more profitably with megaphones out on the streets of New York, where citizens were going about their business largely unaware they were sharing a town with "two of the brightest stars in boxing", as Malignaggi's promoter, Lou DiBella, described the combatants.

Earlier in the week, Khan commented on the last great British invasion at the Garden, boxing's spiritual home: that of Naseem Hamed, who survived three knockdowns before dispatching another fine New Yorker, Kevin Kelley, in a packed Madison Square Garden Arena.

Kelley boxed as recently as last year, a shadow of the man who gave the sport such a memorable night with Hamed in 1997.

It is perhaps not entirely the fighters' fault that this contest is making such a minor impact on New York and on boxing. Khan has yet to establish a reputation here and Malignaggi, despite his charisma, does not excite the fans in the way Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr can.

Mayweather's big win over Shane Mosley in Las Vegas two weeks ago moved 1.4m pay-per-view units on the Showtime channel – that is the territory Khan is aiming for. For now, he has to deal with Malignaggi, a quick-footed and flashy mover who may be hard to find but who is unlikely to provide a threat with fragile fists – particularly his right – that have stopped only five opponents in 30 bouts.

Source: guardian.co.uk