Less than 24 hours after Jermall Charlo was banned from entering Australia, a two-weight world champion has offered to step in and take his place.
Tszyu v Spence Jr. | Sunday July 26 from 11am AEST | Tim Tszyu takes on the biggest name in his career so far – future hall-of-famer Errol Spence Jr, in a can’t miss event for boxing fans around the world. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Fox Sports Australia can reveal Paulie Malignaggi has sensationally offered to throw down against Koen Mazoudier on just eight days’ notice, and despite being almost a decade removed from his last professional fight.
Despite now working as a respected US boxing analyst, Malignaggi phoned promoters No Limit overnight and asked to be part of next Sunday’s blockbuster card – which sees Tim Tszyu headline against American superstar Errol Spence.
It’s understood the popular New Yorker told the Rose boys that after hearing the Charlo news, and having already watched tape of Mazoudier, he now wants onto a stacked undercard where the storylines are still everywhere.
In the new Sydney Olympic Park co-main event for example, American superstar Stephen Fulton is looking to begin his push towards glory in a third weight class when he faces Australia’s two-time world title challenger Liam Wilson.
Having already won world titles and super bantamweight and featherweight, ‘Cool Boy Steph’ is now chasing gold up another division, and after most recently losing a world title fight against O’Shaquie Foster.
Excitingly, the Afterpay Arena event also boasts a host of rising Australian prospects including the likes of Callum Peters, Ahmad Reda and Paulo Aokuso – who combined have now gone 25 fights without loss.
And now Malignaggi wants on.
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While the Brooklyn native hasn’t boxed professionally since 2017, he has continued making appearances in the Bareknuckle Boxing (BKB), including as recently as May.
Adding further intrigue is the fact Malignaggi, now 45, will already be in Sydney for the July 26 event anyway, having already been hired to form part of the Main Event Australia broadcast team.
However after hearing about the Charlo withdrawal, the man who won titles at both super lightweight and welterweight was immediately on the phone to promoters No Limit to offer his services.
As yet, no call has been made on who will replace Charlo.
The move would also have to be signed off by the NSW Combat Sports Authority.
Also, and if Malignaggi were to get the nod, the fight would almost certainly be used to open the pay-per-view portion of the night, or even be offered up to Aussie fight fans on the preliminary portion of the undercard.
In the build to his most recent BKB event, in which he was stopped by former UFC fighter Rolando Dy, Malignaggi revealed there had also been talks about a future bout with former WBC welterweight king Victor Ortiz.
“That’s a fight that BKB probably has on the radar,” he said in May. “But at this stage of my life, I don’t take any result for granted. Nobody expects you to be here at this age, still executing the game plan …”
Tszyu v Spence Jr. | Sunday July 26 from 11am AEST | Tim Tszyu takes on the biggest name in his career so far – future hall-of-famer Errol Spence Jr, in a can’t miss event for boxing fans around the world. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
‘I don’t even know Mazoudier’ – Charlo | 11:09
Certainly, there would be plenty of headlines should Malignaggi get to add one more fight to a resume already including fights against the likes of Adrien Broner, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Zab Judah and Danny Garcia.
However, there is no guarantee given the No Limit card remains stacked, even following the omission of its co-main eventer.
While nothing has yet been confirmed or rejected, Malignaggi’s willingness to throw down comes only a day after it was confirmed Charlo’s hyped return was off after the American was grounded by visa issues.
Charlo was supposed to fight Mazoudier in the co-main event, however took to Instagram on Saturday to confirm he was out.
“Unfortunately, I will not be able to fight next Saturday,” Charlo wrote. “I’ve been training nonstop for the last three months and was ready to make a statement. I want to apologise to all my fans and let them know I will keep training and be back on a PBC event very soon.”
Fox Sports Australia also broke the news to Mazoudier on Saturday morning.
“Is that official?” he asked when told Charlo was out.
“I’ve heard he was having trouble with his visa, but from everything we had been told he was going to get in. We had been told both the fighter and has coach were confident …. but it’s been confirmed he isn’t getting in?”
“Daddy’s shadow” Spence fires at Tszyu | 10:36
Told Charlo had posted he was off the fight on Instagram, Mazoudier continued: “F***, that’s so disappointing. That’s gut wrenching.
“But I’m sure the No Limit boys will put somebody in front of me. And for now, until I get official confirmation from them, the mission stays the same.
“But yeah, if true it’s really disappointing. But it’s also nothing I can change. So yeah, I’ll continue to control whatever I can and get the job done with whoever is in front of me.
“But man, that’s disappointing. I was sharpening up so beautifully for this fight. I was really ready to put on a performance that was going to launch me into world status. We’ll see what happens from here …”
“That’s Cap” Tszyu/Spence fiery face-off | 01:42
There were initially concerns around Charlo’s visa on Wednesday evening, when the undefeated Texan failed to board a flight to Australia with close friend and stablemate Spence Jnr.
However, despite Charlo’s absence, Shields told reporters on arrival into the Harbour City that he was unconcerned and expected his second fighter here by Saturday.
“He’s coming tomorrow or the next day,” Shields told The Punch Podcast. “And camp (for him) has been great, really great. He feels so excited to come to Australia.
“And let me tell you something, he’s ready for that championship run. And he’s going to start it here in Australia.”
Then yesterday the drama took another twist, when Charlo took to Instagram with a photograph of himself standing on scales weighing what he said was 173.3 pounds. Alongside the picture, a caption read: “In shape, on weight and ready. I’m not in Australia yet but I’m ready waiting on the call …”
Yet within hours, he had been ruled out.