Paulie Malignaggi says he will fulfil a lifelong dream when he challenges Gianluca Branco for the European Welterweight title at The O2 on December 12, live on Sky Sports Box Office. The Italian-American was born in Brooklyn but spent the his early years in Siracusa, Sicily before returning to the Big Apple, where he has become one of America’s most popular fighters.
Malignaggi won World titles at Super-Lightweight in 2007 and at Welterweight in 2012, and the ‘Magic Man’ is no stranger to boxing in the UK and Europe, having defended his Super Lightweight belt at the City of Manchester Stadium (now the Etihad Stadium) in a rematch with Lovemore N’Dou in May 2008 and winning his Welterweight strap against Vyacheslav Senchenko in the Ukraine in April 2012.
Branco makes the first defence of the title he won last November against Rafal Jackiewicz to become a two-weight European champion, but Malignaggi intends to make his reign a short one and achieve his European title goal at the first attempt.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to fight for the European title,” said Malignaggi. “I’m proud of my Italian roots and I’ve always believed that I would get the chance to fight for the belt.
“British boxing fans are amazing and The O2 is one of the best venues in the world, I cannot wait to get over to the London and put on a great performance for the fans and get my hands on the title. Branco is a quality fighter with a lot of experience, but I believe that I’ll take that title on December 12 and do it in style.”
Malignaggi’s clash with Branco is part of a huge night of action at The O2, topped by Anthony Joshua MBE taking on bitter rival Dillian Whyte for the British and Commonwealth Heavyweight titles.
Chris Eubank Jr and Spike O’Sullivan meet in a final eliminator for the WBA World Middleweight title, Kevin Mitchell meets Ismael Barroso for the WBA Interim Lightweight title with the winner facing newly crowned WBA supremo Anthony Crolla, Liverpool Cruiserweight favourite Tony Bellew faces Mateusz Masternak, Josh Warrington defend his WBC International Featherweight title against Jorge Sanchez and Joshua’s fellow Olympic gold medal hero Luke Campbell MBE is in action.
Anthony Joshua vs. Dillian Whyte is SOLD-OUT – visit http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ to get your hands on tickets.
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Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte go head-to-head on SkySports tonight
Tonight Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte collide in our most explosive ‘The Gloves Are Off’ show yet.
Whyte on Joshua ‘My mind set, it’s always been my thing. I’ll fight anybody anywhere, I’m not scared of anybody. I’m not scared of a skinny body builder. I’ve been knocking guys like him out for a long time. You want me to tell you why he’s fake? When you’re with him and you’re not around cameras he acts a certain way, I’ve spent time with him’
Joshua ‘What’s fake about providing for your family, earning a straight living, trying to be a role model and bringing Boxing back to where it should be. What’s fake about that?
Whyte ’Your just a big Audley Harrison mate, your heart will fail you. Trust me’
Joshua ‘Do you know what the main thing is for me? Regardless of what he blurts out and regardless of what I may blurt out. It will be a real pleasure if me and him go to war, and we do go 12 rounds and it’s a good fight. I was watching the Micky Ward and Arturo Gatti trilogy yesterday. I was thinking how brilliant it would be if we have a real dust up, and bring something exciting back to British Boxing’.
CAMPBELL MEETS MENDY AT THE O2
Luke Campbell MBE will defend his WBC International Lightweight title against French champion Yvan Mendy at The O2 in London on December 12, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Campbell makes the first defence of the belt he landed in the all-Hull clash with Tommy Coyle at the KC Lightstream stadium in July, with the Olympic gold medal star making Coyle his tenth KO victim in his 12 wins as a pro.
The Hull favourite now looks to end a great year on a high against ‘Le Lion’, the 30 year old French title holder that has a wealth of experience behind him, with four successful defences of the national strap he won in June 2013 and going the distance with WBC Super-Lightweight champion Viktor Postol and taking Edis Tatli to a decision for the Finn’s European title.
“A big win at The O2 will be the perfect end to a great year for me,” said Campbell. “Beating Tommy in the huge show in Hull in the summer was great, but this fight with Mendy is massive for me before moving towards a World title fight in 2016.
“Yvan has bags of experience and has mixed at a high level and gave Postol and Tatli 12 hard rounds, so it’s going to be a real test for me and one that I need with an exciting year ahead of me in the brilliant Lightweight division.”
Campbell’s clash with Mendy is part of a huge night of action at The O2, topped by Campbell’s Olympic gold team mate Anthony Joshua MBE taking on bitter rival Dillian Whyte for the British and Commonwealth Heavyweight titles.
Chris Eubank Jr and Spike O’Sullivan meet in a final eliminator for the WBA World Middleweight title, Kevin Mitchell meets Ismael Barroso for the WBA Interim Lightweight title with the winner facing newly crowned WBA supremo Anthony Crolla, Liverpool Cruiserweight favourite Tony Bellew faces Mateusz Masternak and Josh Warrington defend his WBC International Featherweight title against Jorge Sanchez.
Anthony Joshua vs. Dillian Whyte is SOLD-OUT – visit http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ to get your hands on tickets.
StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua MBE.