By Ryan Burton
Former junior welterweight champions, Devon Alexander and Paulie Malignaggi, have engaged in a war of words in recent weeks, both on Boxingscene.com and on Twitter. Malignaggi is known for being brash and outspoken. Engaging in verbal warfare is nothing new for the fighter of Sicilian descent. Alexander on the other hand is more laid back and usually it is his manager and trainer Kevin Cunningham that does most of the talking for Team Alexander.
BoxingScene's Mike Coppinger penned the most recent piece in the back and forth feud between the two. In an article, Malignaggi told Coppinger, "He's (Alexander) gotta man up and speak for himself. When I see guys having their managers speak for them, it makes me feel like they don't have a brain of their own. If you're a grown man, you speak for yourself. I don't have my manager speaking for me, I speak for myself."
While Malignaggi questioned Alexander's heart, he did admit that the St. Louis native is a talented fighter. "As far as a fighter, he's not a bad fighter, he's a pretty good fighter, I don't know how much heart he has, but he's a pretty good fighter as far as the talent is concerned."
Malignaggi has been an outspoken critic of Alexander. He claimed that Alexander was the recipient of hometown decisions in wins over Andriy Kotelnik and Lucas Matthysse and for that reason he wouldn't face Alexander in his native St. Louis.
Alexander contacted BoxingScene to make it clear that a fight between himself and Malignaggi wouldn't have to take place in St. Louis. According to Alexander, he would have no problem going to Malignaggi's backyard for a fight. Alexander finished up our conversation with this response for the Magic Man.
"If Paula 'Mini Skirt' Malignaggi wants a date with 'The Great', I will go to New York to take her out."
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