Photos: Phil Lambert
MMA veteran Artem Lobov defeated former world champion Paulie Malignaggi via five round unanimous decision in a bare-knuckle match on Saturday night at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall in Tampa. Judges unanimously scored the contest for the aggressive Lobov 48-47. Malignaggi’s longstanding social media “beef” with UFC star Connor McGregor led him to facing McGregor’s stablemate and friend Lobov.
“I am not sure what the judges were looking at, but I felt like he walked into a lot of my jabs and check left hooks,” said Malignaggi, who may have broken his hand. “Maybe it’s beneath me, but I thought I would give it a shot, give him a shot. Maybe I was wrong. I am 38 years old so I am not interested in campaigning or competing in bare-knuckle against this loss. I kind of liked the adrenaline rush and it was different, but I am done.”
“This was an emotional fight for me,” said Lobov. “I started more on back foot than usual, but still pressed and stalked him. Even though many people talk a lot about fighting and Paulie had a lot to say, he showed up to fight so I respect him for that. The feud is over and we move on. I am happy I was victorious tonight and I can focus back on my family and my son. It’s all about him now.”
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LOL
Paulie made himself look a bit stupid there. it is a bit unfortunate that malignaagi has ended up as some sort of cross over ambassador for boxing because he has not been a relevant force for nearly a decade. I remember when Amir Khan beat him in 2011 everyone said his legs had gone. This was particularly relevant for Paulie because of his total lack of power. His movement is all he had tactically. Since then his mouth and charisma have kept him in the picture. He should really stop now as he has a long career in TV ahead of him
CB, I have to agree with some of your comments. My thing is, Paulie reportedly had bad hands throughout his career and for him to end his ‘retirement’ by returning to do bare-knuckle fighting of all things… This was clearly a money move. I get it, he had a lot of press over the whole McGregor sparring fiasco. He does a great job doing color commentary for SHO Boxing. Maybe he had the itch to fight again and as talked into doing this fight for good money. I don’t think guys like Paulie, and even Zab, should have even been fighting at all.
Paulie got them fat tits.
Malignaggi, halfway to 39 years old. And still has to do contact punching sports? Malignaggi lost to Khan in May of 2010, that is 9 years plus. Malignaggi is 8-5 since 2010 to 2017, in boxing. (and why even count his fight against Judah?) And Malignaggi’s bad losses started to come after 2013. If Malignaggi never fought Judah, he would have lost 3 in a row, to Broner, Porter and Danny Garcia. And Broner since 2013 could never have defeated Porter or Danny Garcia in the past 6 years. So what is left for Malignaggi in bare knuckle brawls and in a boxing ring? I don’t think Malignaggi even requires a retirement boxing match. It’s been 28 months since he lost to Eggington, and Eggington has gone 4-3 since the Malignaggi fight in 2017. Most of these guys born before 1990 are on the way out in boxing, except for heavyweights and cruiserweights, and maybe Sergey Kovalev. Most of these guys born in the mid to late 80s should walk away from boxing by 2021.
This is only a very small step up from professional wrestling.
Man, Paulie looks like a real douchebag after this. He was garnering a lot of respect for his excellent broadcast commentary, and now he goes to these depths to stay relevant? Make money? I don’t think he had to do either. He’s a former 2 weight world title holder, whose analysis was respected. This whole fiasco, in which he came out on the losing side, may very well have damaged his brand and his respectability. What a shame.
In had Pauli winning the fight.
I had it an unbearable-to-watch draw. If Paulie only threw some punches, he could have easily won as Lobov couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with his telegraphed punches. Typical Paulie though, makes bare knuckle fighting a boring point contest.
I guess I’m in the minority here but I’m not slating PM. He’s had a go and lost a close decision and indicates that it’s not something he’ll pursue.
As far gone as Malignaggi is from actually being a fighter, or relevant in any sort of contact sport, which has been a very long time, regardless of attitude, he went into something he wouldn’t be as comfortable with as Lobov, and went all the way. As stupid as it was, he has to get credit for even getting in there, at least I give him credit. I actually had him with a close win. His whiny, bitchy little self proved he has some balls…but he needs to stick to commentary. Point being, reluctantly, good job Malignaggi.
The people saying Paulie won as he was getting wobbled and smashed across the ring while literally just touching artem with a jab 2-3x a round are delusional. Boxing is a fake ass sport and all the big money boys growing up in a sport that protects guys for 30 fights are going to get exposed for being shit in a real fight if they ever try to cross over. Artem is an actual bum and he beat the brakes off Paulie.
You wouldn’t last a minute in the boxing ring.
Wow! And older, past-his-prime boxer decides to fight in another sport against a younger/larger/in-his-prime fighter/champion in the other sport, to make easy money. Honestly, I cannot recall this ever happening, before. A new frontier has been crossed!
Yet another Brooklyn guy who runs his mouth too much, and has a false sense of superiority. The result was predictable. Paulie was never that good to begin with. Seems a bit crazy. Time for him to step away, become a blogger.
All the credit to Paulie the guy has balls. Many of the people commenting here would not have half the courage to get in the ring.
Haters suck.