:good Anyone can hit hard when they have a huge size advantage. Do we think of Chavez Jr. as a powerpuncher? Not really, because he's had like 15lb on the guys he's knocked out. Yet we tolerate the same weight differences in Broner's fights and then act like he's a tremendous puncher for knocking people out. Cotto is a renowned puncher and can hit even at 154, Hatton was a beast as well. I figured Paulie would win rounds, just not 5-7 of them, but Broner was actually worse than I thought he'd be. It's sad. Paulie has a glaring deficiency in that he just cannot punch at all, and I think he's massively underrated in his boxing ability. The thing is, with Paulie's lack of power he needs a PHENOMENAL engine to outwork people, and I don't think he's ever going to be there. Paulie always come in shape but I'm talking a Calzaghe engine here. Broner has no apparent deficiencies as bad as Malignaggi's lack of power, but I think he will fall apart when he faces an opponent near his size who has the tools to compete. Malignaggi did not have the tools for success against Broner and still just about made it work. I think Broner's career has turned the corner. At first, they had him putting on a circus show knocking out weak guys he outweighed by 15-20lb. Then they picked capable but very beatable titleholders in DeMarco and Paulie (one who was too small to hurt Broner, the other too weak). I think from here he has to face real challenges and Haymon knows it. If Gamboa can't be made at 135, Broner will go to 140 and fight Khan, Judah, or Peterson. Or all of them. He might even make 140 his home while Garcia, Matthysse, and Khan move up. I don't see him back at 147 any time soon because the only winnable fight for him there is probably Alexander. I think he's run out of 10-1 underdogs that can be sold effectively.
Paulie did well. His manhandling of Juan Diaz twice will always be his best performance in my mind. People forget how impressive Diaz was until Paulie handled him. Paulie is normally damn good and hard for any fighter to beat but he has had a couple off nights. Last night was not an off night.
I didn't make a prediction, John, but I have eaten crow many times -- broiled, fried, baked and even raw. Make sure to order a nice bottle of whine to wash it down. (g)
Malignaggi vs Cotto was eons ago and Malignaggi got thoroughly beat down the stretch in a fight against a fighter thats known to wilt down the stretch. Not only that, Cotto was having major difficulties making 140 lbs at that time. His gallant effort against Cotto is Malignaiggi's only claim to fame. Diaz was on the way out when Malignaggi fought him. After Juan Manuel Marquez knocked Diaz out cold, Diaz was having an identity crisis. He was inbetween whether he should box or slug. Knew Diaz days as a top fighter were over when he came out for the Marquez rematch trying to box against a master. His only chance was to brawl with Marquez, but his mind was on what had happened previously with he layed out on the canvas. Point is Malignaggi had trouble against a shot Diaz who he lost to and got a decision against. The picture I'm trying to paint is that Malignaggi is not dangerous but just good enough for an up and comer to guage where he's at in the big scheme of things. We now know Broner is'nt in the big picture!