PAULIE Malignaggi has been warned he faces a “horrible” return to fighting this weekend.
The former IBF super-lightweight and WBA welterweight champion has ditched his gloves to fight Tyler Goodjohn in Leeds on Saturday night.
Malignaggi has fought bareknuckle before – back in June, 2019.
He was beaten by Artem Lobov and Goodjohn says he will make it even harder for the New Yorker in the three-sided trigon at Planet Ice.
Goodjohn, who was a 13-6 gloved pro himself and won English honours, says the five-round fight will mark the end of his bareknuckle career – and he’s convinced he will bow out with a win.
“He’s in for a shock,” said the 34-year-old.
“It’s horrible in there, really horrible. I know he’s fought bareknuckle before, but Artem was rubbish and it was in a big circle over two-minute rounds.
“You can bluff you way through two minutes in a big circle – but that extra minute in the trigon makes it a different sport. This is three-minute rounds in the trigon and it’s going to hurt.
“My last fight in Cardiff was my first bareknuckle for two years and I felt the nastiness of it all over again. Your hands are killing and you have to keep punching or you’re in trouble. You get cut, there’s blood running in your eye and he’s still coming at you. That’s horrible and it happens to me in every fight. It doesn’t overwhelm me, but Paulie could be in for a shock. I’m used to fighting blind.
“This is my last bareknuckle fight because my hands are suffering and the scar tissue on my face is bad. If I get caught with a jab the cuts could open up and I will tell the doctors: ‘Don’t stop it on cuts. This is my last fight and I’m used to it. Cuts don’t bother me.’ He won’t be able to hurt me. I’m going to grind him down, but whatever happens, I will still be a fan.”
Malignaggi has some idea of what to expect from Goodjohn having been ringside when he fought Filipino knockout specialist Weljon Mindoro in Florida last July.
“I also was a massive fan (of Malignaggi) and he commentated on me when I boxed in America last year,” said Goodjohn.
“I was jumping up two weights and Paulie appreciated what I did and we had a good chat afterwards.
“I won the English (super-lightweight) title (against Ricky Boylan) 11 years ago and to think I’m now fighting Paulie Malignaggi is wild.”
Looking back on his fighting career, Goodjohn said: “I’ve been there and done it, fought and lived in the United States.
“I’m 34 now and I’m thinking: ‘I’ve got no money because I’m a fighter.’ If I put 50% of what I put into boxing into something else I would be very successful.
“I’m looking to get into coaching and build a YouTube channel. I’ve got 24 years of experience to pass on. There are influencers out there who make a living and they haven’t done anything.”
