Victor Ortiz and Paulie Malignaggi Set for Bare Knuckle Boxing Showdown in LA
Two former world champions will meet at BKB 62 on December 5 at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles.
Victor Ortiz and Paulie Malignaggi will headline BKB 62 "King of the Game" on December 5 at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, the promotion announced Saturday.
Ortiz, a former WBC welterweight champion with a 33-7-3 record and 25 knockouts in traditional boxing, made his bare knuckle debut at BKB 56 with a unanimous decision over Dominic Salcido. The Ventura, California, native shared the ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Andre Berto and Marcos Maidana during his gloved career.
Malignaggi, the Brooklyn native who held world titles in two weight classes, comes in off a loss. He challenged BKB super welterweight champion Rolando Dy and was stopped in the second round. Malignaggi, whose 36-8 record in boxing included just seven knockouts, will need to find power he rarely showed with gloves on if he wants to compete without them.
"Be ready," Malignaggi told Ortiz, per Sherdog. "I'm coming to your hometown to take you out."
Ortiz said he is "prepared to fight" and ready for a different challenge inside BKB's signature Trigon ring. BKB CEO David Tetreault said the matchup should have happened years ago in traditional boxing. Tickets went on sale October 12, with additional bouts expected to be announced.
Look, I know what this is. Two guys who are well past their traditional boxing primes meeting in a bare knuckle ring for a payday and some nostalgia. But you know what? I'm in.
Ortiz always had the power and the chin questions. Malignaggi always had the skill and zero pop. Take the gloves off and those tendencies get amplified. Ortiz hits harder without wraps. Malignaggi has even less cushion to lean on with those pillow fists. If this goes past three rounds, something has gone wrong for Ortiz.
The Orpheum Theatre in LA is a cool setting for this. BKB has carved out its lane by booking exactly these kinds of matchups, guys with name value who still want to scrap. I'll probably have it on in the background on a Friday night. Ortiz by stoppage is the play.
KEEP TALKING FIGHTS.
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