Amir Khan is better than Ricky Hatton, says Malignaggi

Paulie Malignaggi is aware that the media feel he is a mere stepping stone for Amir Khan but is ready to spring a surprise when they clash on May 15th in New York's Madison Square Garden, despite not being a big puncher as opposed to the WBA light-welterweight number one contender Marcos Maidana.

With that being against him, Paulie is still in fighting mood and thinks he is more than a worthy challenger and a better choice than Maidana.

“Paulie Malignaggi is a former world champion with two title defences and as far as credibility goes people love the big puncher but what did Marcos Maidana really do? Knocked out Victor Ortiz - but who is Victor Ortiz? Apart from that what did he do?

"So why does Khan have to fight someone who hasn’t accomplished as much, has no notoriety in America when he can face someone like me?

“I am willing and able, I’m bringing much more credibility to this fight and much more ticket sales and I give you better quotes too, come on!”

Amir Khan’s greatest asset could well be his speed and with Paulie not having the big punch how is he going to deal with this?

“I am very confident in my speed but it also comes down to more than speed and at this level you need more than one big weapon. On fight night it is going to come down to more than speed. We are both fast.”

Malignaggi predicts his hands will be the ones raised after the fight but is keen to make another prediction.

“You guys (the media) are not going to say I really needed a new trainer and I was right about having a bunch of idiots around me when I fought Ricky Hatton. No you are going to say Amir wasn’t that good. That’s what everybody loves doing. Everybody loves taking away credit.

“I rate Khan, ability wise above Ricky Hatton, Amir has good speed, good leg and, good reflexes so I find him a tougher proposition but he will find me a tougher proposition and he will find out that I am a much better fighter now than when I fought Ricky Hatton.”

With a personality like Paul’s I was keen to know what his life outside the ring is like so fire away Malignaggi.

“I take every day as it is. I enjoy my life, sometimes I can be a little immature man. I am 29 years old but I still like to party and hang out in night clubs and like to drive fast cars.”

Paulie feels that because he has said some outspoken things in the past people are quick to make judgments on him.

“You get a lot of people who like to judge what I say and do but you don’t really know what it is like to be in my shoes, there is a positive and a negative but I go for the positives. I enjoy my life.”

Malignaggi is confident the world will see him at his best and added the time with his former trainer Buddy McGirt was his biggest mistake.

“It’s not that he is a bad trainer for some people but he is not a good trainer for my style and we don’t really speak now. But to put it in a nutshell I was too talented for him, I really was, he didn’t know what to do with that talent.”

Paulie feels Buddy took away from him rather than adding to him.

“He wanted everything out of a shell he wants everything low, stay low. If I am on the ropes laying low is a good thing but if I’m in the middle of the ring at a close distance laying low is not good because you take away my leg speed and you take away my ability to move. The speed is in my legs and that is everything I stand for and once you do that you make it easy for opponents to track me down and once you do that you don’t have the same fighter anymore.”

This fight could determine where Paulie goes in the future and he knows a win puts him back in the 10st bigger picture.

“At this point of my career I should be ranked up there with Pacquiao and Bradley but the media doesn’t give me the credit I deserve. They don’t recognize me as the fighter I really should be recognized as with all the work I’ve put in.”

Because of this it has changed his perspective somewhat.

“I am not really chasing that place in history, I used to but what I am chasing now is who brings the most money so after Amir Khan whoever offers the most money whether it be Bradley, Alexander, (WBC and IBF champion) Pacquiao or Mayweather is where I’ll go.”

Despite not being a current world champion he still believes he is the number one fighter at 10st even if it’s not quite on paper.

“I feel I am the best, but if we go on results then you have to give it to Bradley because he is undefeated, he’s beaten some good fighters and he holds a version of the world title.” (WBO)

Paulie was a smashingly warm guy. He only blushed at this one question.

“What is the craziest thing you have ever done?”

With a big laugh he rounded up the action without giving a clear answer. I wonder if he will still be laughing come May 15th!