Paulie Malignaggi, a former boxing champion, is returning to the ring with a three-fight deal in BKB Bare Knuckle boxing, marking his second attempt at bare-knuckle fighting after a previous loss to Artem Lobov in 2019.
Paulie Malignaggi is stepping back into the ring, but this time, he’s ditching the gloves. On Tuesday, the 44-year-old former boxing champ signed a three-fight deal with BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing. His debut is slated for Sept. 6 in Bristol, England.
This isn’t Malignaggi’s first rodeo with bare-knuckle fighting. He previously faced UFC veteran Artem Lobov in 2019 under BKFC, which ended in a loss. That bout gained buzz, partly due to a spat with Conor McGregor over a sparring session before McGregor’s fight with Floyd Mayweather.
The tension between Malignaggi and McGregor was intense, but McGregor couldn’t fight outside the UFC. Lobov stepped in, won by unanimous decision, and later had his own fallout with McGregor, leading to a lawsuit in Ireland. Drama, right?
Malignaggi aims to rewind the clock with his upcoming BKB debut, marking his first fight in nearly four years. “I could easily use my position to jump right back into a title fight,” he shared in a press release. “But you know what? That’s not what I’m going to do.”
He respects the fighters too much to cut the line. Malignaggi wants to earn his spot by facing top contenders in the super welterweight division. “I still got the goods and I’m chasing that title,” he declared.
Before signing as a fighter, Malignaggi was one of BKB’s lead commentators. Now, he’s back in the ring, eyeing his first professional win since 2016. Exciting times ahead!