By Sean McDaniel: In a press release sent out yesterday, former International Boxing Federation (IBF) light welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi (27-3, 5 KO’s) said he can’t wait to fight WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO’s). The two fighters will be meeting on May 15th in Khan’s U.S debut fight at Madison Square Garden, in New York. Malignaggi, who isn’t known for having much power, says “I believe I’m the faster fighter. If I get hit on chin, I’m not going to wobble. If Amir Khan starts wobbling, I hope they have a pillow for him in the corner, because he’s going to sleep. I’m going to enjoy sinking my punches into Khan. Some fights are just business, but not his one. I’m going to enjoy every punch I land.”

Malignaggi has bad blood with Khan because the British fighter has been talking a lot in the media, predicting a knockout win over Malignaggi and seemingly looking past him at other fights in the future. To say that Khan is overlooking Malignaggi would be putting it mildly. Khan has been treating the Malignaggi fight as if a victory if a foregone conclusion. This is the exact same mistake that Khan made in his 1st round wipeout against Breidis Prescott in 2008. Khan went out swinging and was quickly staggered by a jab from Prescott.

Seconds later, Khan was stopped after being dropped twice. Malignaggi is not a puncher like Prescott, to be sure, but he can summon of some respectable power when he needs to. Malignaggi may have to get Khan out of there if he wants to pick up a victory. He won’t be able to match the speed, work rate or the power of Khan. The best, perhaps only chance for Malignaggi, is to try and take Khan out with something when Khan comes in looking to land his flurries.