:good I hated Paulie until the Cotto fight and the toughness and heart he showed made me a fan that night.
He may not yet be an "elite" fighter, but I think he could very well be on his way to becoming one if he just sticks to his game and dosen't try to "prove" himself anymore like he did against Cotto. Paulie seems to me to be a "purist" in that he's extremely good as a stick and move specialist with a "hit and don't be hit " ethic. If he stays within that style and to hell with the fans and the critics, he'll soon be an "elite" fighter. He needs to forget about the ko's and go for decisions and winning on points. That kind of style frustrates alot of "boxing fans", but with the damage done to a fighter's brain each time a punch connects, and the threat of acquiring brain damage after a career in boxing, he'll be using his head for something besides catching punches.
He's fast, he's extremely tough, and he has skills. He's not an elite P4P fighter by any stretch of the imagination, but he is an elite 140 pounder who could give anybody in the division trouble.
The Cotto fight was his first real step up and it was pretty close. Cotto won, but Malinaggi showed toughness and skill. Now he also has a belt...so ya, I guess you'd be right to criticize him with a stupid thread just because you don't like him and you're biased.