10 rounds with Paulie!

Paulie Malignaggi gives frank and honest answers to the questions YOU sent in to skysports.com.

We let YOU put the Magic Man on the spot

Paulie Malignaggi taken time out from training for the biggest fight of his life to answer YOUR questions. The Magic Man takes on Ricky Hatton, live on Sky Box Office on Saturday night, and an army of British fans heading for Las Vegas. But he clearly has his own admirers over here, because we asked you ask Paulie anything and the responses came pouring in. As you'd expect from a flash, brash, fast-talker, the answers came in full-flow in an open and honest session. To see if your question made it through and what the Magic Man had to say about all manner of subjects, in and out of the ring, scroll down... HITTING HATTON
Hi Paulie, you've mentioned in the past that you see plenty of things in Ricky Hatton as a fighter that you can exploit or see as a weakness. Without giving too much away, what is it you think you can exploit? All the best. Marc McCullagh
PAULIE SAYS: I've noticed things over the course of Ricky's career, maybe a couple of things, Marc. It's not just the Lazcano fight, I've seen certain patterns over Ricky's career. But the main thing is he does have a new trainer, but our main focus is on us. We're not worried about what he's going to bring to the table, any new strategy or gameplan he has. With his new trainer I can't continue thinking some of those things may not be corrected but he's never been one to shy awya from being hit. He's never been one to be too smooth either. I am sure he's been working on that with Floyd, but you either have that natural defensive radar or you don't, you either get hit or you don't. BOX IDOLS
Hi Paulie, you have a style often described as slick. Who were you boxing idols and influences while you were growing up?
Andy Pendegrass
PAULIE SAYS: I looked up to fighters like Naseem Hamed, Hector Camacho and Muhammad Ali growing up. I used to try and copy not just the way they fought - because Naz had a style all of his own - but the style and personality. I realised those guys all had the crowd going and I enjoy doing that myself: I try to take a little bit out of all their books. I wasn't always slick though, Istarted off as a boxer and obviously got hit a bit more! Then I hooked onto Arturor Gatti and followed him. But the there was those others I have mentioned, with the mouth, the showiness, the flashiness. I always had time for those guys. HARD TIMES
Hi Paulie, good luck for the fight but not too much for obvious reasons! As you're now a big name on the boxing circuit you're obviously reaping the rewards but what was it like when you first started out? Was it difficult money-wise? Did you have a job as well as training? How did you cope? Joseph Green
PAULIE SAYS: To go way back, I'm in Italian by heritage, both of my parents are born in Sicily. My father still lives there today, my mother's living in the United States right now. I was the first person in my family born in the US, but we moved back to Italy. My parents had to get a divorce though, we ended up in a different country, and we had problems - I had to move in with my grandparents. But basically I use a lot of that stuff to drive me on. I don't want to be in a position where I have to rely on anybody anymore. It's not cool when people know you need them and know you need to rely on them, so I don't want to be in that position. That's a lot of my driving force. Growing up, before I thought of boxing, I used to go with my friends and rob kids at school to get some pocket money, you know! But when I got into boxing I tried to stay away from all that and had a few little side jobs. I had a good amateur career but once I turned pro, it wasn't big signing-on money, but it was enough of a sigining on and enough of a contract to move out on my own and afford to pay my own bills. MIXING IT WITH THE BEST
Hey Paulie, I was wondering if and what made you choose to take a fight like this one, and how you get prepared to fight someone with a good resume like this? Leo Wilson, London, Tampa
PAULIE SAYS: Winning this fight would give me a lot of options and moves me up another echelon. I'm already on a high level and I just want to keep adding to my legacy - or in fact building one, bcause I don't really have one right now! Winning a fight like this gets me in the right direction. We have had a great camp for this fight. All we keep hearing from the Hatton camp is how great that camp has been and I haven't really been talking about mine so much. But mine has been great and we are more than ready: if they're not as ready as they say they are, then they have a big problem come Saturday night. ANY MORE HAIR-BRAINED SCHEMES?
Paulie, I guess the hair kinda backfired in Manchester, but I was wondering, have you got something planned for Vegas? Maybe the Italian flag died into your hair? Charlie Andrews
PAULIE SAYS: I don't think I'll do that, not this time, but there might will be something to see! From early on in my career I've been a guy who antagonises the crowd and loves to get a reaction, and even if there's a lull in the action and I'm bored I just love to hear the crowd making some noise. Sometimes you get these boring crowds and you watch a fight on TV and you see people in the front row looking at other things and not the fight. I hate that! I love it when all the crowd's eyes are on the fight and reacting to what is going on. I love to make that happen - although I won't be making the same mistake again! CLUBS, NOT PUBS
Paulie, Ricky is known for his love of a pint or two. How do you relax? We never seem to see much of you until fight time? Bob Smith
PAULIE SAYS: When I'm not training, I like to relax like anybody else, Bob. I'm 27 years old so I enjoy the things any other young person does. I like to go to nightclubs and I know Ricky likes his pubs, but that's more of a homely thing. I like clubs, I like loud music, stuff like that, a little more wild - I just don't eat and drink as much as Ricky! I do like some rock music, but I haven't heard that much of Oasis. I think it's very cool that they're going to carry his belt into the ring - maybe after I beat him they can present it to me!BRING ON THE BRITS
Alright, Paulie before I ask my question, I am a Manchester lad and a big fan of Ricky's... but what I want to ask is at the Homecoming fight were you suprised by the amount of support Ricky had and will it have any effect on you when you both meet in Las Vegas? I will be supporting ricky on the night but i will wish you good luck also - may the best man win. Mike, Manchester
PAULIE SAYS: I antcipate a lot of Brits coming out, Mike. I don't know how many because I know it's a difficult time economy-wise for a lot of countries - I'm sure it's not as bad as it is in the US because it's pretty bad right at the moment for a lot of people. I just aim to go in there and have a good time. If I can get a reaction out of the crowd, that basically means me having a good time. I don't think I need to do anything to the English crowd when Ricky fights because they're pretty charged up already. Ricky does tend to bring a lot of crowds, that's a good quality to have as a fighter - but none of them can climb in the ring with him on Saturday night! POSITIVE NEGATIVITY
Hi Paulie. I am a big fan. I think you are being very underestimated in this fight. I live here in Vegas, god I really wish I could get to the fight. I just got out of the army though and money is tight right now. That's not why I write though, sorry. Being the champ that you are puts you in a position that you should be respected and expected to win all most all your fights as far as I am concerned. How do you deal with a the negativity that seams to be thrown your way? And what round do you expect Hatton to eat the canvas? Joe
PAULIE SAYS: I am not going to make any predictions Joe, that has got me into trouble before! But it does bother me when people keep saying I've only knocked out five guys, but that's why I'm making a statement. But a lot of that lack of knockouts was down to injuries. I don't think I get enough credit, without a doubt. But a win over Ricky will go a long way to getting me a lot of credit. I don't think though that I'll ever be right up there, simply because I don't have a lot of knockouts. I also lost to Miguel Cotto when if I'd have won that I would have proved a lot of people wrong, but you can only learn from your experiences - and I definitely have. In fights when I've had odds stacked against me I definitely perform better because it's like a challenge to me - and I always like a challenge. IRELAND'S ITALIAN JOB
Hi Paulie, I'm from Ireland and we're playing Italy in the World Cup Qualifiers in the New Year. Do you get to see Italy play much and also how do you rate Italy's chances against a resurgent Ireland? It isn't a boxing question but I know you're a soccer fan. Cheers, Darren O'Brian
PAULIE SAYS: I like to watch soccer as much as I can Darren. My whole family support Juventus, but I have to say I am an AC Milan supporter. I went over there to check out their facilities last year, spent a week with them and they treated me like one of their own, so now I am rooting for them. What I like about Ireland is they have an Italian coach in charge and Marco Tardelli is an assistant - that's an interesting match-up! The thing about European teams is when a non-European team has hosted the World Cup, no European team has won it. I don't know what will happen between Italy and Ireland, I'm just glad I've seen Italy win the World Cup in my life. People don't see their country win the World Cup in their whole lifetime, it was just an unbelievable experience to watch Italy win the World Cup. I don't care if I don't see it again - although of course I would love to - I am just happy I've seen that once. WOULD COTTO CLOBBER HATTON
Paulie, I watched you lose to Miguel Cotto and put on a brave showing. What do you remember about that fight and with this weekend in mind, do you think Ricky Hatton would've beaten Cotto at light-welterweight? Lee Staples
PAULIE SAYS: The first thing I can tell you Lee is, Miguel Cotto's a very hard puncher! He's relentless. The weigh-in was 34 hours before the fight which to me was ridiculous - he put on so much weight. At the end of the day I try to take a positive out of everything. I got a lot of positives out of that fight and it made me drive my career to the next level - and I'm here now. I have heard a lot of comments based on Antonio Margarito stopping Cotto that the brawling style is what Ricky Hatton would use. But the punishment Antonio Margarito had to take to get to Cotto was unbelievable. He's not human! I don't know how Margarito does the things he does, he's a special person, he's a special fighter. Ricky Hatton doesn't know how to take that punishment, he turns susceptible when he gets hit, he never looks comforable when he's been hit. Trust me, being hit by Miguel Cotto is not an easy thing to do and I've seen Ricky Hatton get hit by a lot worse punchers than Cotto. He was knocked out by a check left hook, which is basically a hook off the back foot, by Floyd Mayweather. His weight wasn't even on the punch and he knocked ot Ricky, so for Ricky to think he would beat Miguel Cotto... I don't think he beats him, put it like that.