Special features
Magic Man ready for Ricky
Magic Man tries to lure - and laughs at - the Hitman
Last updated: 12th December 2007 
Malignaggi: wants Hatton
I'm sure Ricky's a nice guy and a nice person, but as a fighter I can't respect him. I would love to fight Ricky Hatton. I'm definitely ready for it whenever he wants to step up to the plate.
Paulie Malignaggi
Quotes of the week
Also see
Paulie Malignaggi is willing to fight Ricky Hatton next - because he is "not that good a fighter".
The IBF light-welterweight king has offered the Hitman an instant return to the world title scene following his KO at the hands of Floyd Mayweather.
Oscar de la Hoya and Junior Witter have already thrown their hats into the ring, but Malignaggi says his belt, his New York base and the fact that he is also coming off a loss make him the best option open to the pride of Manchester.
And he did his best to lure Hatton by laughing off his performance against Mayweather and his boxing ability and even labelling him a coward.
"The more I see of Ricky, the more I think he's scared to get hit and that's why he fights the way he does," he told boxingtalk.com.
"There were opportunities for him to throw punches and he chose to hold. It seems that the guy holds first and hits second. It gets ridiculous to watch.
"I'm sure Ricky's a nice guy and a nice person, but as a fighter I can't respect him.
"I would love to fight Ricky Hatton. I'm definitely ready for it whenever he wants to step up to the plate.
Perfect sense
"Ricky keeps saying he wants to fight at the Garden and if he's going to fight at junior-welterweight, I'm the guy you have to fight at the Garden.
"I have the belt which he used to hold. He came back for it before and I'm ready to give him another chance to take back what he never lost but will never hold again. We both have one loss now and we've both lost to great fighters.
"I didn't get stopped and he's coming off a knockout loss so I'd love to see how he comes back from that. Madison Square Garden makes perfect sense, he can get his second loss and everybody would be happy."
Malignaggi, who has lost only to Miguel Cotto in 24 fights, is pencilled in to defend his title in January against Herman Ngoudjo, the man who pushed Jose Luis Castillo all the way in his tune-up for Hatton earlier this year.
Features
McCrory on the spot
Got a question on boxing? Well you can now put them to former world champion, Glenn McCrory...
Second Shout
Jim Watt and Adam Smith on a thrilling win for Jason Booth, Ricky Hatton's trainer and 2010's first megafight!
SSN Podcast
Download the secondSky Sports News Podcast with Adam Leventhal and special guest Georgie Thompson.
Experts & Blogs
Around Sky Sports today
Make The Difference
Chelsea v Arsenal - have your say on the big match.
Beyond A Game
Win the Ultimate Rugby Experience
Enter Now
Competitions
Win some fantastic prizes in the Sky Sports competition section. All our competitions are free to enter.
Comments (11)
Nick Parry says...
Ricky should take the Whitter fight and do a job on him and then go after this idiot. To say Ricky fears getting hit is ridiculous! Did he not watch the Tszyu fight? Ricky took all Kostya had and still came forward. No fighter before him had done that. The simple fact is that although Mayweather was to good for him on the night the added weight was a major factor. There is no way he should be going after the Cottos, DLHs or Moseleys of this world they would be far to big for him and he would come unstuck. Listen to your trainer and unify the Light Welterweight division and then retire as one of the top 5 British fighters ever. Whatever he does he will always be a British legend in my eyes.
Posted 10:27 14th December 2007
Kam Malik says...
All respect to Floyd Mayweather trully modern great of the ring. All the hype by british fans made people forget who ricky was actually facing a man whos won 5 world title in different weight classes. Im afraid Ricky to me showed his limitaions as a fighter he lunges with no defence fights at one pace and doesnt really have a boxing brain. A fight with Da La Hoya and Cotto would be to much of a risk as both would probaly would be to smart for Ricky
Posted 19:34 13th December 2007
Nick Berry says...
Here we go again, a great british fighter (Hatton) loses to the pound for pound best and all of a sudden every tom dick and harry is coming out of the wood work. All of a sudden Witter fancies his chances and now we have this spice boy Maggy whats his name wanting to fight Hatton. I would back Hatton to beat these two clowns on the same night back to back. It would not last 6 rounds between them. If I was Hatton I would be looking to have a crack at Cotto. Maggy and Witter may have belts but you can buy those from Marks and Sparks. Witter, honestly, just thinking of him prancing about infront of Hatton makes me laugh. Hatton would give him the Berbick wobbles!!! And as for Maggy, change your name to Smith, its easier to spell when sending emails
Posted 12:13 13th December 2007
B l Horne says...
This is the best possible fight out there for Ricky especially at the MSG in New York. Paulie is charismatic and marketable and the big cable companies on both sides of the Atlantic would have no problems selling this one to the public. It's also a fight that Hatton would win. Paulie is lightning quick and has a great left jab but his right hand is as fragile as hell and he is no puncher. For a confidence booster for Ricky this one is perfect and then a unification against Witter.
Posted 12:09 13th December 2007
Robert Tams says...
I think Hatton should take this. I would rather him having a rematch with Mayweather, in the Light-Welterweight region, but we can't have these useless second rate fighters talking Hatton down. Go for it Ricky!
Posted 03:20 13th December 2007
Stu Horse says...
Ricky put up the best effort from any British fighter in his last fight, the only thing people like Malignaggi want from him is a pay day.. Ricky will never be as disrespectful to say that which id the only reason why Malignaggi is openly offering the fight! Hatton would decamate this type of opponentw but Malignaggi wouldnt mind this at the end of a big pay day anyway. Go ahead and unify the Junior- Welterweight division Ricky..
Posted 00:30 13th December 2007
Jamie Matthews says...
There is no way Ricky is scared of getting hit,and what rubbish to say he holds first and hits second,this would be a good fight for Ricky to jump straight back in at world level and get his old belt back,however it has to play on your mind once you have been stopped and it will be interesting if Ricky will come back the same fighter? look at how poor Jeff Lacey has been since his beating by Joe,whoever Ricky fights next i am sure he will have learned alot from the Mayweather fight.
Posted 13:38 12th December 2007
The Hitman says...
Bring it on i say, this yank is nothing but talk, just wants a pay day against ricky........as they say- talk is cheap
Posted 12:46 12th December 2007
Graham Brown says...
I think Hatton should take this fight. Back down at his right weight and he can prove to everybody in the world he is the best junoir-welterweight ever! Knock him out Ricky!!
Posted 12:17 12th December 2007
Scott Robbins says...
As i've said before in different articles, this would be a very positive move in 2008, if he wants to re-establish himself back at light-welterweight. Malignaggi is a fast, counterpunching boxer, that should be a good foil for Hatton's attacking style.
Posted 12:10 12th December 2007
James Chandler says...
I have never heard of this guy? Surely if this fight will be at Light-Welterweight the Hitman will make mince meat of him? I say get the fight organised so Ricky can re-establish his dominance in the diviion he should have never left! The reason he lost to Mayeather was his size and weight. So I can see this being a decent fight that Hatton sould win and comfortably! Ricky for Prime Minister!
Posted 11:30 12th December 2007