By Jake Donovan
If their words are to be accepted as truth, then Paul Malignaggi and Adrien Broner not only don’t like each other, but also have little to respect for one another.
The trash talk has already reached epic proportions leading into their June 22 showdown at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, which airs live on Showtime. When the conversation actually works its way to the fight itself, neither man seems concerned about what the other brings to the table.
“I won’t be training for anything I’ve seen because he’s been fighting bums,” claims Malignaggi (32-4, 7KO), who makes the second defense of his welterweight belt. “I stopped watching video on him a long time ago.”
Broner claims to never watch tape on any of his opponents, that fight night adjustments are enough to get the job done. This fight is no exception, despite the fact that he’s moving up two weight classes and basically fighting at his walk-around weight.
“I really don’t study tape. I let my coach do that. If I’m always in shape, I’m ready to make any adjustments,” Broner (26-0, 22KO) claims. “[H]e’s a slippery fighter. If you’re not on you’re A-game, he can slip away with the victory.
“I’m going to be on my A-game and you will see what I can do on June 22.”
Malignaggi is curious to see what Broner can do on that night. The two-division titlist expects a different version of the rising star than has been the case to date.
“When you’re fighting a bum, you can do anything you want,” Malignaggi insists. “When you fight a world class fighter, you have to come with a game plan. We didn’t prepare for him, we prepared for the fight. The game plan for him will be different than the ones he’s been using. Now he’s fighting somebody real. It won’t surprise me if he comes with a new bag of tricks.”
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board, Yahoo Boxing Ratings Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
