In a bout that in now reflected the final judges’ scores, International Boxing Federation light welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi (24-1, 5 KOs) received a gift 12-round unanimous decision over challenger Herman Ngoudjo (16-2, 9 KOs) on Saturday night at the Bally’s Hotel & Casino, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The final judges’ scores were 117-111, 116-113 and 115-113, giving the 27 year-old Malignaggi the decision.
After the first couple of rounds, it looked as if it was going to be an easy win for Malignaggi, as he clearly won the first two rounds mostly using his jab alone. Ngoudjo was wild in the first couple of rounds, though he did land a couple of big right hands that got Malignaggi’s attention.
In rounds three through five, Ngoudjo turned the fight around with some big right hand shots, swelling up Malignaggi’s left eye and keeping him mostly on the defensive. While in close, Ngoudjo would use his size and strength advantage to rough up the weaker Malignaggi. In the sixth round, Malignaggi came back using his jabs to keep Ngoudjo from getting in punching range.
It was an impressive round for Malignaggi, but it wasn’t the last we would hear from Ngoudjo, as he came roaring back in the next round. Ngoudjo stunned Malignaggi with a huge right hand early in the round, and the followed up with a flurry of shots, which lucky for Malignaggi, all all missed their mark.
However, Ngoudjo landed another big right hand in the round, staggering Malignaggi a second time in the round. The for the remainder of the round, Ngoudjo battered Malinaggi around the ring, hitting him at will. In between rounds, the ringside doctor asked Malignaggi if he would like to continue, no doubt worried after seeing the huge amount of punches Malignaggi had absorbed in the round.
In rounds eight through ten, Malignaggi used his jab to control the action, and occasional landing left hooks and right uppercuts. However, Ngoudjo continued to land the much harder shots, and he made each of the rounds very close due to the punishment he was inflicting on Malignaggi. Ngoudjo, though, didn’t appear to do quite enough to win the rounds, as he was showing signs of fatigue during this period of the fight.
Ngoudjo appeared to catch his second win in rounds eleven and twelve, pressing the action constantly and once again hitting Malignaggi with monstrous right hands and left hooks. For his part, Malignaggi spent most of the last two rounds clinching whenever Ngoudjo cane in range. In fact, Malignaggi initiated a dozen clinches in each of the last two rounds, looking tired and worried as Ngoudjo inflicted serious punishment on him.
In the end, I had the fight ruled a draw. If anything, however, I would have given the nod to Ngoudjo, as he landed the better shots and appeared to be the one making the fight happen. However, considering that Malignaggi was the champion, and was fighting in his home town, I wasn’t surprised that he got the victory, even though I don’t think he outright proved to be the better fighter.
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