By Mark Vester
In a recent interview with BoxingScene.com's Jose "OnFire" Aguirre, IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi (23-1, 5KOs) shot back at comments made by undefeated Demetrius "D-Hop" Hopkins (28-0-1, 11KOs) in a BoxingScene interview. Malignaggi makes a mandatory defense of his title against Herman Ngoudjo (16-1, 9KOs) on January 5 in Atlantic City. Hopkins, and his promoter/uncle Bernard Hopkins, made it clear that a clash with Malignaggi was on their radar for 2008.
Malignaggi is more than happy to fight D-Hop, as long as the money is the right and the fight has a television date. Hopkins spent time in training with Malignaggi and said that he used to throw water on him.
"When you are the champion, everybody wants to call you out. When you are the champion, there is no shortage of challengers. The shortage is TV dates and networks. I'm grateful to Showtime for giving me that date on January 5th. Hopefully we develop a nice long term relationship together. There are plenty of challengers stepping up to the plate to fight Paulie Malignaggi. Obviously Demetrius Hopkins is high on that list. I have to give him credit, his uncle is a legend, but you have to move yourself into position. He's going to be the mandatory contender soon so the fight is going to get made sometime in 08," Malignaggi said.
"As far as him talking sh*t, running his mouth, I don't know what that's about. We were in camp with Anthony Thompson and another kid Colin McFeigh from Canada. The four of us used to horse around, we were in training camp together. I don't remember any of this stuff happening. You can ask Anthony Thompson, he's a good friend of mine. He likes to make up stories, that's fine. Everybody that knows Paulie Malignaggi knows that I'm a nice guy, but you don't cross the line like that because I will smack you right in your mouth."
Malignaggi does not see any surprises with Hopkins, and feels more than confident of winning. He admits that Hopkins is a solid fighter, but still not good enough to beat him.
"I don't mind fighting Demetrius Hopkins as long as someone is putting up the money and someone has a date. Any time Demetrius Hopkins wants to get that first "L" on his record, we can do it. I'm not losing my title to Demetrius Hopkins or anybody. I worked hard for this title. Demetrius Hopkins is trying to put out this smokescreen like there is more to him than everybody else out there sees. What everybody sees is the same thing Paulie Malignaggi sees and Demetrius Hopkins sees. There is no smokescreen out there. He's not hiding anything. There is nothing at only me and him know about. There are no surprises. We never sparred together. We never boxed together. We were in camp together. We never argured. We barely hung out. Every time me, Anthony Thompson and the other kid would go out or go to the mall, Hopkins was on the phone all day with his girlfriend like a sissy. When we get in the ring, we are going to get it on. Stop with the bullshit, stop with the puzzles. Stop with the riddles," Malignaggi said.
"He's a solid fighter. I give credit where credit is due. Demetrius can fight but Paulie Malignaggi can fight too. When it comes down to it, Paulie Malignaggi is a better fighter. I have no doubt that I can beat Demetrius Hopkins."
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