By Mark Vester
IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi says the bout with Ricky Hatton, scheduled for November 22 in Las Vegas, will be his career defining fight to put the boxing world on notice.
Speaking with Jose Aguirre of BoxingScene.com, Malignaggi said that he would be the regarded as the best junior welterweight in the world by the end of the year.
"I'm excited to be able to prove myself on the big stage and come November 22nd that's exactly what I'm going to do. I live for this big stage. I'm on it," Malignaggi said. Paulie Malignaggi will beat Ricky Hatton in November. At the end of the year, there will be no doubt who the best junior welterweight in the world is. You will be saying Malignaggi at the end of the year and you will be jumping on my bandwagon."
Malignaggi is still taking it easy in the gym, but should be back in full force within a few weeks. He broke a bone in his right hand in the sixth-round of his May title defense against Lovemore N'Dou. He told BoxingScene that his hand will not present a problem by the time of the fight.
"I'm out of the cast. It looks healthy, same as it did before. In a couple of weeks I'll start hitting in the gym. I'm already back in the gyms. It's just a matter of having full impact. Being able to have full impact, that will take another few weeks and then I'll have a full camp. Believe me I'll be ready," Malignaggi said.
He believes that despite winning a major title in 2007 on a nationally televised card, he was still being overlooked and not given the same opportunities as other fighters. He wants to take those frustrations out on Hatton.
"I made it when I won the title last year. I just wasn't given the opportunities. I wasn't given the credit that I deserve. Maybe I had a few lackluster defenses, but a lot of that has to do with me just not getting my credit. I just get disgusted with this sh*t. I'm tired of it. I want the big fights and now I got the big fight. Believe me, I'm going to show what I'm made of come November," Malignaggi said.
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