By Allan Fox: Former IBF light welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi (30-4, 6 KO’s) will be trying to become a two division world champion on April 29th against WBA World welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko (32-0, 21 KO’s) at the Donbass Arena in Donestsk, Ukraine.

Malignaggi, 31, has a hard task in front of him, because Senchenko has an excellent skill set made even better by trainer Freddie Roach. He’s worked with Senchenko and made him an even better fighter than he already was to begin with.

To be sure, Senchenko is probably the weakest of the welterweight champions right now, but he’s still a very good fighter at 147, and he’s facing someone in Malignaggi, who probably has no business being ranked at #2 by the World Boxing Association given how mediocre Malignaggi’s opposition has been since he moved up to the welterweight division in 2010. Malignaggi has been the opposite of a risk taker, as he’s played it safe in taking on and beating three 2nd tier fighters with little chance at beating him.I don’t know how or why the WBA has rewarded Malignaggi with his easy fights by ranking him at number #2, because he arguably should be ranked at or near the bottom of the WBA given his opposition. Putting Malignaggi over guys like Devon Alexander and Kell Brook is pretty laughable, and that’s just the beginning. There are a number of other contenders that really should be ranked above Malignaggi at welterweight, but are instead below him in the WBA’s rankings.

Senchenko is probably going to jab Malignaggi’s head off on April 29th. He’s going to use his long reach to soften Malignaggi’s features up before lowering the boom on him in the middle to late rounds. In fighting like that, Senchenko will be taking a page out of fellow Ukrainian IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko’s playbook. Malignaggi can try moving around the ring, but Senchenko will still be able to spear him all the same.