Sky Sports | Hatton | Columnists | Glenn McCrory

Search:

Sky Sports.com

Experts & Blogs Home | Experts' columns | Ricky's Diary | Adam Smith | Ed Robinson

Paulie's perfect stage

Flash, brash Malignaggi primed to play the villain

Posted: 08th May 2008 10:06

Send an email to Glenn McCrory Email Glenn McCrory

Malignaggi: brash and flash

He will be in the spotlight and people will be watching - and let's not forget this is a world champion we are talking about here. And from what I've seen, he is likely to rise to the occasion. He can tease and taunt the crowd, play the villain and if he puts on a really good show against a tough guy in Lovermore N'dou his stock will rise over here.

Glenn McCrory
Quotes of the week

THE HOMECOMING
Ricky Hatton v Juan Lazcano
IBO Light-Welterweight title
Live on Sky Box Office
7.30pm, Saturday, May 24
Call 08442 410888 to book
Click here for more information

All eyes will be on Ricky Hatton on May 24th - which might just suit Paulie Malignaggi down to the ground.

I think the stage will be set for the kid, I really do.

He is never going to steal the limelight when there are 55,000 fans screaming for their hero and their hero only, but from what I've seen of Malignaggi, he should enjoy this.

Yes, it is his first fight in Europe. Yes, he will never have boxed in front of such a massive crowd but he has done so in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden, and believe me, that can generate one hell of an atmosphere.

And it's not as if he is just coming to Manchester to make up the numbers.

I remember boxing on the undercard when Colin Jones fought Don Curry in Birmingham in 1985 and it's not nice. No-one really wants to see you except your mates and all you want to do is get the win, get out of there and let everybody see what they came to see.

Occasion

But it's slightly different for Malignaggi because of the agreement in place to fight Hatton later this year. He will be in the spotlight and people will be watching - and let's not forget this is a world champion we are talking about here.

And from what I've seen, he is likely to rise to the occasion. He can tease and taunt the crowd, play the villain and if he puts on a really good show against a tough guy in Lovermore N'dou his stock will rise over here.

He is clearly a confident, brash young man and it was great to see him calling out Hatton straight after the Mayweather fight. The same thing happened to me when I'd just got beaten by Lennox Lewis and all I remember thinking is 'hang on, shouldn't you be going to the winning dressing room?'.

But then again, Mayweather is no light-welterweight and you have to admire Malignaggi for stepping out of his comfort zone, this time at least.

He is clearly a very good talker and a decent fighter as well. He might not carry the power of another of our top light-welterweights, Junior Witter, but he is awkward and has fast hands. In fact it will be interesting to see what moves fastest, his hands or his mouth.

But there will be no trash talking. He seems a respectful young man, as do more and more of the boxers coming good these days. He will know he cannot be bad-mouthing Ricky Hatton in his own backyard - even if he will not be short of a few words.

Tuned in

And he has his work cut out against N'dou. He might not be at the peak of his powers, but this is a guy who has taken Witter, Miguel Cotto and Sharmba Mitchell the distance at light-welter.

Also, Malignaggi was not that impressive last time out against Herman Ngoudjo, maybe because he was looking beyond that fight. That will be a timely kick up the backside and with Buddy McGirt in his corner, I am sure he will be properly tuned in for this one.

Malignaggi won't find N'dou at all easy and in fact he is in a pretty similar position to Hatton, which makes it a great bill.

Ricky should beat Juan Lazcano, but knows it will be anything but a stroll in the park. The one massive advantage he has is that if it does get tough - and I think there might be one or two sticky moments for him - that crowd will pull him through.

Once they have seen Malignaggi strut his stuff.