NEW YORK, NY— It was merely five months ago when whispers of a meeting between Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KOs) and Paul Malignaggi (27-3, 5 KOs) for the WBA 140 lb. championship because tweets of a meeting that somehow evolved into a real fight, designed by fighters and fans, not promoters. On Saturday, we’ll see whether Malignaggi can reclaim a world title on his home turf, or whether Khan will continue to keep his short career clean. But warning: this is not a fight for fans looking for a quick, thoughtless display of violence.
A THINKING MAN’S FIGHT
It’s a thinking man’s fight, because the strengths of each fighter are incompatible with the weaknesses of the other. Amir Khan has, for most of his young career, relied on a heavy hand, one that will probably not bring down a more experienced fighter who Miguel Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs) couldn’t bring down. Malignaggi’s biggest strength is his speed which, coupled with his strong chin, will make him a near-impossible target to attack, but won’t help him win as much as it will help him not lose, and not losing isn’t enough to coast to victory.
KHAN IS FAR FROM PEAKING
At 23, Khan is facing a similar challenge to that of Andre Berto (26-0, 20 KOs) and other fighters who are physically and technically far from peaking: he’s not going to be at his best for another five years. On the other hand, this is a major psychological boost; he’s a champion at age 23 and doesn’t really have anywhere to go but up. Meanwhile, Malignaggi is at a point in his career where he’s fought tough battles and pushed himself to a limit. Both he and the audience know exactly what to expect of his skill set, while Khan is still working out the kinks.
LET’S NOT EXPECT A KNOCKOUT
A knockout on either side is unlikely—Malignaggi hasn’t knocked someone out since 2003, but hasn’t been knocked out, either, by much more formidable punchers than Khan. The bottom line is that Malignaggi is the constant, and Khan, being less experienced and entering the biggest fight of his career on foreign soil, is the one that will have to either step up to the challenge or fade away. If he’s made of something bigger than he has had a chance to show his audience yet and is a secret superstar, he’ll knock Malignaggi out, but it’s highly unlikely, and with his skill set, he most certainly isn’t going to win on points—not in New York City, not anywhere.
IT’S PAULIE’S FIGHT TO LOSE
Expect this one to be explosive for the first couple of rounds as Khan tries to flash knockdown Malignaggi, probably miss due to Malignaggi’s speed, and continue at a constant, more careful pace as the rounds roll on, with Malignaggi wowing the judges on handspeed and technique. In the end, it’s Malignaggi’s fight to lose, and if he does, it will announce the arrival of a junior welterweight that could grow up to be the answer to end the tired Mayweather/Pacquiao plotline.