Mosley: Malignaggi seems to be afraid to fight me

By Dan Ambrose: 41-year-old Shane Mosley (46-8-1, 39 KO’s) believes that WBA World welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi (32-4, 7 KO’s) is genuinely afraid to fight him after Malignaggi suddenly decided to halt negotiations with him and look in another direction.

Malignaggi is now talking about wanting to fight #2 WBA Marcos Maidana. However, the World Boxing Association ordered Malignaggi to fight #1 WBA Diego Chavez next. Golden Promotions, the promoters for Malignaggi, are going to have to work with the WBA to see if Malignaggi can bypass Chavez for one fight so that Malignaggi can fight whoever he wants on his next fight date on April 27th at the Barclays Center in Brookly, New York.

Mosley said to fighthubtv.com “He says it’s [the reason he can’t fight him] because Golden Boy isn’t paying him what he’s supposed to be paid…Maybe he thinks I’m good for him and that I could beat him…I don’t think he really wants to fight the top guys. He wants to steal money for the belt he has. He seems to be afraid to get in the ring with me.”

I honestly don’t think it’s a fear thing for Malignaggi that’s preventing him from facing Mosley. It’s got to be the money, in addition to the criticism that he’s been receiving. Malignaggi has been getting raked over the coals by his fan base on twitter ever since he first mentioned wanting to defend his title against Mosley, and it’s gotten so bad that Malignaggi finally said he won’t be using his twitter to talk with his fans any longer.

The likely number one reason for Malignaggi not choosing to defend his title against Mosley is the money must not be what he thought it would be.

Malignaggi probably won’t be able to sell out the Barclays Center whether he fights Maidana or Mosley on April 27th. Mosley says he thinks he could sell out the Barclays because he’s better known than Maidana. I kind of doubt it. Mosley hasn’t won a fight in many years and that’s not something that’s missed by the New York boxing fans. This isn’t exactly a dangerous fight for Malignaggi against a relevant fighter.