By Scott Gilfoid: According to an article from Rick Reeno from Boxing Scene, trainer Freddie Roach seems interested in a fight between World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan and former IBF light welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi (27-3, 5 KO’s) in March. In the article Roach says this about a potential Khan-Malignaggi bout: “That’s definitely a viable fight. It’s something I would definitely welcome. I like Paulie. It’s a big fight.” This news might not be be well received by some Khan detractors, who would see this as another case of Khan taking on another light-hitting fighter.

Malignaggi has only five knockouts on his record and is one of the softest punchers in the top 15 in the light welterweight division.

Khan, who was knocked out in a brutal fashion by Colombian Breidis Prescott last year, has a history of chin problems. Since the loss to Prescott, Khan has taken light punchers Osin Fagan, Marco Antonio Barrera, Andriy Kotelnik and most recently Dmitri Salita. If Khan does fight Malignaggi, it would be a continuation of this trend of Khan facing weak punchers.

Many boxing fans would prefer to see Khan face a dangerous threat, such as WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana, a knockout artist with 26 knockouts in 28 fights. Khan will have to face Maidana sooner or later or risk getting stripped. Again, there are some people who suspect that Khan will vacate the WBA title after having milked it as long as he can against weak punchers and not ever face Maidana or another dangerous fighter like Timothy Bradley.

Khan is 23, and some people say that he’s still too young and that he should be given a break from fighting dangerous fighters. I don’t agree. Manny Pacquiao, Khan’s idol, was facing dangerous opponents from his earliest teenage years as a pro, and there wasn’t anyone saying he should be allowed to steer clear of dangerous punchers. If Khan is too young to fight dangerous opponents, then he should vacate now and let Maidana fight someone else for the title.

Malingaggi defeated lightweight Juan Diaz in a 12 round unanimous decision on December 12th. The win supposedly brought new life to Malignaggi’s sinking career at the time. Before that, Malignaggi had lost two out of his last three fights. I don’t know that I was all that impressed with Malignaggi’s win over Diaz. After all, Malignaggi beat a fat looking lightweight and not a dangerous light welterweight like Bradley, Juan Urango, Victor Ortiz, Maidana, Ricardo Torres, and Devon Alexander. I think all of those fighters would easily beat Malignaggi, and not just them.

I see another five or six fighters in the top 15 that would likely do a number on Malignaggi as well. He’s a good fighter, but I don’t see him as being relevant in the light welterweight division other than a gate keeper of sorts. I would be disappointed if Khan were to choose him rather than Maidana, Ortiz, or Kendall Holt. I’d even settle for Khan facing recently beaten Lamont Peterson rather than Malignaggi. Of course, I think Peterson would have a great chance of beating Khan, but it would be a good fight because of Peterson’s power and high pressure offense.