14 years ago today: Paolo "Paulie/The Magic Man" Malignaggi vs. Edner "Cherry Bomb" Cherry

Round 8

Malignaggi toys with Cherry in the middle of the ring, baiting with a short jab, letting Cherry counter with a jab just about grazing the bridge of Malignaggi's nose, and then riding it with a backward lean enough to slingshot himself in and score a cleaner jab on Cherry. Malignaggi jiggling his left shoulder to keep the blood flowing during the lulls as he now begins to walk a disinterested Cherry down with jabs. Cherry backed into the ropes as Malignaggi throws fast pot shots at the body.

10-9 Malignaggi

80-72 Malignaggi

 

During the course of this BAD main event broadcast, they have advertised two upcoming fights that had so. much. buzz. and ended up being so incredibly underwhelming.

(PBF vs. DLH and MAB vs. JMM - the latter of which actually wasn't bad at all, a nice game of chess between two ATG's, but it wasn't war bell to bell like many assumed it would be. As for Mayweather vs. De la Hoya, well...it also wasn't quite as deserving of how maligned it came to be over the years, but it did disappoint for the most anticipated, and highest grossing PPV until Mayweather vs. Pacquiao).

 

Round 9

Malignaggi now grabbing and wrestling a lot, slapping the right palm across the back of Cherry's head before ducking in and encircling his waist. Cherry is mowing him down, not punching but absorbing Malignaggi's jabs on his forearms until diving in and slicing at the body with sidewinding punches. Cherry lands his own rabbit punches in the pocket as they grapple and jockey to be top banana.

10-9 Cherry, close

90-81 Malignaggi

 

Round 10

Malignaggi keeps getting interrupted while lifting his left glove off the hip to flip out jab, his speed just diminished enough for Cherry to begin timing him with two-pieces rushing in. Malignaggi tosses a couple of anti-aircract shots from a crouch into the waiting arms of Cherry, only to get bashed into the ropes by a heavy plummeting right. Cherry realizing that Malignaggi won't be giving him an opening for his patented KO shot (the "Cherry Bomb" - just a basic left hook) so he's putting all his eggs in the straight lead right basket. He's making an omelet, but time is running out. Malignaggi blocks a few rights awkwardly by swiping at them with both arms like windshield wipers as he scampers in reverse across the ring.

10-9 Cherry

98-92 Malignaggi

 

Lederman gave Cherry the tenth and has it 99-91 Malignaggi.

 

Official cards:

Billy Costello 98-92
Steve Epstein 100-90
Tom Kaczmarek 98-92

UD for Malignaggi

I guess Epstein went for a beer after rund eight. No way Malignaggi won the last round, fists holstered, gasping for breath and getting drilled while in full retreat.

 

Paulie acknowledges that his own right hand "felt a bit sore", but isn't injured per se. He says Cherry did buzz him a bit in the last round with a right that landed behind his ear.

He says he needs to show more in one more tuneup to earn his superfight with Ricky Hatton. Pretty humble and honest stuff.