How popular and mainstream Paulie Malinaggi could have become

I think he'd be about where he is now at best. Dibella in my view did wonders for him to get him in matchups for belts that he could actually win, as well as big name fights. Paulie is also a good self-promoter with his trash-talk. But ultimately, we're talking about a guy who is basically fringe world class with zero punching power. He's got quick hands and quick feet, but isn't flashy in the same manner as a SRL offensively, nor is he great defensively like a Pernell or Pep. Dibella has his faults, but I don't think anyone could have done a better job with Paulie.

 

+1. Paulie's done great for the tools he has and has been promoted well his entire career. Going through his career, it's a rare case of a fighter who reached his potential, never really had promotional issues, wasn't mishandled, and always stayed visible and got respect without being overhyped. Moreso than a lot of fighters, there's really no "what if" questions I have about his career.

 

Paulie Malinaggi is at his best now, I can't think of another scenario that turns out better for Paulie

Popularity:
He is lucky he is not hated & blacklisted for being a dangerous boxer with no punching power, usually what promoters avoid :roll:

Opportunity:
He was given many chances & he toke advantage of most of them. Winning World titles in two divisions, grabbing the Mic on big fights. Only Mancini got that lucky & he had more power

Guidance:
Unilke most boxers who fight near their walking weight, Malinaggi would have been unable to hurt boxers even as low as 126 lbs & will have to risk stamina in return for nothing. At 140/147 he had enough range/sturdy chin to do will, so himself/management/promoters did fine

 

His main hinderance to ever being a PPV fighter is the fact he doesn't have any power. If paulie had concussive power he would have been a beast.

 

He would be exactly as he is today, which is amazing for someone in his fighting style and ability.

 

He's good, made millions, won two titles and landed a 500k per yaer job on Showtime.

 

he cant punch for **** must be fun fighting paulie when you know you wouldn't get hurt

 

Cant punch or has no power? two different things bruh.

 

He was power punching ability away of being a really top draw fighter. I mean to get top level wins and be competitive when literally none of your opponents respect your power or worry about what is coming back in return is pretty amazing. Props to Paulie. Would have liked to see him fight Judah when they were younger.

I wonder if he could have adopted a Calzaghe type approach to steal rounds. He certainly had the chin for it.

 

Agree with this.

Especially when you consider he got DESTROYED in some of his 'step up' fights (Cotto, Hatton, A. Khan), Paulie's career has pretty much topped out.

 

Personality sells a lot in boxing, and Paulie has tons of it.

He could have beaten a few of the tall, gangly, predictable fighters who won championship belts, like Vernon Forrest and Jose Luis Castillo. Instead they fed him to brawlers like Cotto and Hatton who were stylistically all wrong for him.

 

If you stepped in the ring with him I guarantee you that you wouldn't have any fun. You'd be brutally and embarrassingly KTFO within 30 seconds. :good

 

In my honest opinion it doesn't really matter. Paulie Malinaggi is a very very good technical boxer. He has a good personality. He has good endurance and stamina but he doesn't have the power to hurt another boxer. If he had a good punching power, he could've been a really great boxer.

 

Up until he beat Senchenko and started doing announcing right beforehand, Paulie was one of the most hated boxers in the sport.

Almost everybody HATED him regardless of how they feel about him now. Not sure why they did... Likely the usual reasons (is American, doesn't punch hard, talked "trash")...