Malignaggi Destroys Senchenko to become WBA Welterweight Champion

By Dallan O’ Donnell: Tonight in Ukraine former IBF light welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi tore up the script in not only beating a fully-fledged welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko in his own back yard he managed to completely destroy him in a 9th round stoppage victory.

Next to nobody gave the fast talking New Yorker much hope whilst American television networkers didn’t even show the bout. They were all made to look very foolish. Malignaggi produced in my opinion his greatest performance to date at both light welterweight and welterweight. He was too quick and too slippery for the former champion who never once established a jab that many so called experts said would rule the fight.

Malignaggi, never known for his power, severely cut Senchenko on his left side and the constant jabbing caused it to swell into a grotesque balloon. Referee Steve Smoger was left with no choice but to call an end to proceedings in the 9th round after a flurry from Malignaggi, which Senchenko couldn’t defend as he could not see it coming.

So now Malignaggi is a two weight world champion as now the holder of the WBA welterweight crown. With the welterweight division so hot at the minute there are so many potentially massive fights out there. Paulie could face the Andre Berto vs. Victor Ortiz winner or even the Amir Khan vs. Lamont Peterson winner if either man chose to move up. Both are intriguing but I would like to see either one of two things to happen.

Zab Judah to move up to welterweight to take on Malignaggi, which would be massive in New York or Kell Brook to finally make that step up and fight a proper opponent for once. Whatever Malignaggi chooses you can take nothing away from him. There are more big pay days on the horizon for him and no doubt a unification bout in the future. Follow me on Twitter @dallan09