They don’t come much tougher than former boxing world champion turned sometime bare-knuckle fighter and pundit, Paulie Malignaggi, but he doesn’t see the same mentality in one upcoming heavyweight who he thinks ‘can’t be the future’ of boxing.
In a 16-year career from 2001 to 2017, Malignaggi held world championships in two weight classes. He was the junior IBF welterweight champ between 2007 and 2008, and held the WBA welterweight title from 2012 to 2013. He fought the biggest names in the sport including Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto and is now a respected pundit and commentator, known for his honesty.
That has come to the fore once more while speaking to ProBox TV about one heavyweight prospect.
“He’s got the biggest potential, especially on the American scene. But potential does not always fulfil itself. But yes, I’m one of the ones expecting him to do great but here’s the thing, there are a couple of red flags.”
Malignaggi is speaking about Jared Anderson, the unbeaten prospect who has said he doesn’t love boxing and sees it only as a job.
Anderson has fought 15 times, winning 14 by knockout and going the distance only once so far with former IBF champion Charles Martin. He is one of the hottest prospects in the scene but recently declared he is ‘broke’ and that he doesn’t feel like he needs to be an undisputed champion to prove himself.
Malignaggi took issue with some of those comments and also Anderson saying he broke down in tears in the dressing room after what he deemed as a sub-par performance against Martin.
“I wasn’t really into him crying but hey that can be a moment in the emotions. But you take that then take the fact he only wants to fight for three or four years and you start to think dude, does this guy even like boxing? You can’t be the future of anything you don’t like. You’re never going to put in the extra mile and extra time in the gym. On the way up that passion is everything.”
So far Anderson has looked good, with plenty of tools, lots of power, and Top Rank behind him. As such, there is every reason he can get to the top if his mind state is right.
