Amir Khan dominates Malignaggi; Ortiz cruises over Campbell
Amir Khan put a thorough beating on Paulie Malignaggi, and Victor Ortiz cruised to a virtual shutout win over Nate Campbell tonight on HBO Boxing After Dark in New York.
Khan (23-1, 17 KO) was simply too fast, too big, and too good for Malignaggi (27-4, 5 KO), stopping him in the 11th round when referee Steve Smoger decided enough was enough. It was a fine stoppage, as Malignaggi had no hope of winning and Khan was pitching a shutout. Malignaggi's face had swollen badly and he just wasn't able to do anything against Khan.
I had in the past said Khan had top five handspeed across the entire sport, but before this fight I considered that statement and wondered if his speed would still look quite as fast against the quick Malignaggi. Well, it did, and it took about one minute total to see that Amir Khan has elite handspeed. That kid is fast.
This was a class performance by Khan, who I had up 100-90 at the time of stoppage. He made his American debut with a very impressive performance, more aggressive than he was against Andriy Kotelnik and just as dominant. The question now is what's next. Max Kellerman mentioned Marcos Maidana, the hard-punching Argentinean, after the fight, and Khan said he'd "love" to fight Maidana next. Khan even proposed he'll face Maidana, and Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander should fight each other, and the winners could meet up after that.
For Paulie Malignaggi, this was a bad loss. Malignaggi made no excuses, and just gave Khan credit. He was very honest about his own performance. He'll go on. There are a lot of guys he can beat still, and he did his best tonight. He just wasn't good enough to beat Khan.
In the co-feature, Victor Ortiz (27-2-1, 21 KO) won an easy decision over a very faded Nate Campbell (33-6-1, 25 KO). We'll have a lot more on this fight in a full breakdown later tonight, because I have a lot of thoughts on both fighters coming out of this one. Ortiz on on scores of 100-89 (twice) and 99-90. Bad Left Hook scored it 99-90.
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Looks like Tor Hamer got upset on the undercard
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
ugh
So much for that. I think that’s about it for me trying to care about American heavyweight prospects. COULD THIS ONE BE THE NEW AMERICAN STAR? Nah, probably not.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions
I watched “Thor Hammer” fight his premiere a couple of years ago at Roseland. I was not thinking world champion, but a loss doesn’t exactly throw him in the fire. Even in these days of GLORIOUS UNDEFEATED SUCH AND SOS, I think a loss is still okay. Hell, if anything it might make you more attractive to opposition managers and promoters.
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
It’s a loss to a 34-year-old guy who had six pro fights. Hamer still has a future if he wants it enough, but it’s certainly not the future they had envisioned when he was on Carson Daly.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Former NBA basketball player even
I saw one of his fights, and he wasn’t horrible, but if Hamer’s as good as advertised, he should have been able to win.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Hamer’s not as good as advertised, but what is? Hell toothpaste, hair gel and politicians aren’t as good as advertised either. He will simply have to get back to work. Hopkins lost his first pro fight, to a part-time nobody.
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
Hopkins WAS nobody. That Bernard Hopkins became a legend is amazing. He was no prospect.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions
How does that change my point? A loss is a loss. It doesn’t really mean a whole lot. Archie Moore lost to a guy who was 1-2 in Archie’s 16th pro fight. (And no, that doesn’t mean I’m calling Tor "The Next Archie Moore" if that is the retort.)
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
The standard is not Archie Moore and Bernard Hopkins. The standard is more Jeffrey Resto or someone like that — prospects that get busted and probably just never do much of anything after.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions
He lost a split D in a fight that, with a few quality wins under his belt no one will remember.
Gadzooks, why should anyone bother getting into a ring when they could LOSE A FIGHT? Heaven have mercy. I didn’t think Hamer as any great shakes before this fight and I don’t now, but for Pete’s sakes its one loss. I wasn’t saying “Archie Moore and Bernard Hopkins are the standard.” That’s ludicrous. And I don’t have to wind back through the entire history of Boxing to find a boatload of prospects who lost a fight and did not fade into the sweet journeyman hereafter.
This undefeated prospect horseshit was always a little dumb, but now is getting beyond ridiculous. I mean, come on, did you even watch the fight? No, you just heard that Hamer caught a “L” against some unknown and said “Ugh. So much for that! Stupid American Non-Invincible Guys with A Loss on Their Records.”
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
That;s sounded a little aggressive, and it wasn't meant to be
I’m just saying that one loss doesn’t magically turn someone into Courage Tsablala. A Joe Boxer could’ve walk in and have career night against a prospect who came in a little flat or off. Or one of the judges could’ve been drunk, or slept though a couple of rounds. Or maybe Hamer just doesn’t have it in some critical area when it counts. All of these are possibilities but do not tell the whole story. In any of those cases, losses like these can be character-building, and make a guy recognize his flaws and work to improve himself. It’s not automatically “oh my god the end of the world” is all I’m saying.
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
I don’t care about flawless records, but Hamer was still in the build-a-record phase and lost. It doesn’t speak well for his future, which is right now not half as bright as it was supposed to be. That’s all I’m saying. The bubble already got burst, and very early considering how protected fighters are now.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Hagler lost during his “build-a-record” phase. Twice. He also drew with a guy who Minter kayoed in five rounds. Later, after his “build-a-record” phase, he starched him in a minute and a half.
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
AND YES OBVIOUSLY I AM CALLING HAMER A HEAVYWEIGHT HAGLER
:-)
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
We should send this conversation to Hamer so he can see that someone out there still thinks he’s the next Hagler, Moore and Hopkins — COMBINED.
I know you’re not saying he’s those guys, and I get your point. I just disagree and don’t believe Hamer will wind up being good. I’m not writing him off SIMPLY because he lost, but because he didn’t seem all that great before this. Slipping this early against a guy like this cannot be made a positive one day after the fight. It can be made one later, I suppose, with character building, which I just find unlikely.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Was at the fight
I scored it for Hamer. Gave the first to “The Price is Right” (actual nickname) and in the second, he knocked Hamer into the ropes and the ref called it a standing 8. The rest Hamer lander more clean shots.
When the decision was announced, Hamer was pissed and slamed something on the ground with his right hand. So I’m sure he’ll be back stronger.
by Polish Rifle on May 17, 2010 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Good to hear
Unlike Scott, I like Hamer. I love the way he moves. He has to compensate for his lack of size, and he could stand to throw more punches, but I dig his style at the very least.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
hard to believe Kahn recently moved up from 135, he really outsized paulie. the brief clip of danny jacobs was cool, or was he in with a total roll over?
"Mug an old lady, and if you have the right connections the WBO will rank you seventh." -Steve Farhood
Astorga’s a patsy. Duddy beat his ass, too.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions
It was a fine stoppage, as Malignaggi had no hope of winning and Khan was pitching a shutout. Malignaggi’s face had swollen badly and he just wasn’t able to do anything against Khan.
I guess it sort of depends on the meaning of “fine.” Smoger is not exactly known for early curtains, and the only thing that could have happened for Paulie was for him to listen to the announcer tell everyone that he lost every single round. But I still wouldn’t say it was a perfect stoppage. Paulie makes money on his chin, which held up under Khan’s constant assault just fine. I consider it a sort of new school stoppage. It was stopped for humanitarian-like reasons, but not for boxing reasons or real danger reasons. It’s pretty clear from the tenor of this lopsided fight that Paulie would have finished on his feet, alhough with a face only a mother could love.
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
Fine in the sense that it wasn’t wrong. Malignaggi had no complaints and honestly… he did not look like he wanted to continue after the 10th. He’s got way too much nuts and pride to quit, but when Smoger had the doctor come over, Paulie’s eyes kept darting up to the doctor while his trainer was going, “Look at me Paulie!” and trying to get the doctor away. Paulie just kept looking back at the doctor, and it felt like — and I’m not saying this is what it was — he was trying to convey that if it was stopped, he’d be OK with it.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm actualy fine humanitarian early stoppages
I think they are even a necessary aspect of boxing in the modern era.
"All the time he's boxing, he's thinking. All the time he was thinking, I was hitting him." - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on May 16, 2010 8:47 AM EDT up reply actions
I didn’t have a problem with it because it was Paulie and he can’t hit at all. Even that phrase “he can’t hit at all” doesn’t do justice to Paulie’s level of “can’t hit all”. But if it was almost anybody, I mean anybody, in there with Khan, I’d have been a little more pissed.
"Yes Gina, I am a Wise Cracker"
I consider it a sort of new school stoppage
yea – it was like an administrative decision stoppage – “well, he’s got no shot, might as well stop it”. It happened to Paulie against Hatton, but this one was worse, I think, because Paulie was not getting hurt last night. He was getting soundly beat, but his legs weren’t going and he was still trying to land punches. The stoppage didn’t fit into any real defined category of reasons to stop a fight – fighter wasn’t in danger, fighter didn’t have cuts to the point of not being able to see, fighter hadn’t been KD’d three times in one round, fighter wasn’t showing signs of concussion. Anyway…
"Yes Gina, I am a Wise Cracker"
The thing about Vicious Victor Ortiz is that he was pretty damn far from vicious, especially in the second half of the fight. He was comfortable just to come to win against a faded Campbell, and sort of cakewalked through the last couple of frames. He might be war-wary and gun-shy. Or maybe he just wanted the sort of low risk win over a former titleholder that this afforded him.
In any case, I think we saw two young guys with savvy management tonight. The next fights for both will be interesting.
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
The next fights for both will be interesting.
Wanna bet?
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions
I'd actually like to see Khan-Ortiz next
Of course, GB won’t make that one. But I think it would be an interesting scrap.
by The Boxer Rebellion on May 16, 2010 12:26 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
hell yeah
Ortiz has the pop to put Khan to sleep and has the skills to keep him honest, and vice versa really
by Sweet science on May 16, 2010 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Exactly
It’s a compelling fight on paper. Just won’t happen because of management. Ortiz-Malignaggi could be next if the Maidana-Khan-Bradley-Alexander tourney works out.
by The Boxer Rebellion on May 16, 2010 12:31 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
yea - that would be interesting
two physically talented but fatally flawed guys.
"Yes Gina, I am a Wise Cracker"
Khan really impressed me
That Jab is one of the best in the game. It beat the heart out of paulie who could do nothing against it. Evrything came off that jab and the speed of hand was frightening. I don’t think Maidana will last 4 rounds with Khan, his defence and chin ain’t the greatest and all Khan will have to do is work behind the jab then pop him with the right and he will go falling
Khan answered nothing tonight.
His biggest weakness has not been tested since Precott (who stinks). Maidana will have no respect for him, will take 2 shots to
land one, and flatten him by Round 6.
by The Boxer Rebellion on May 16, 2010 12:28 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
He answered for his speed. It is without question elite-level speed.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions
I thought he had World-class
by The Boxer Rebellion on May 16, 2010 12:32 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Right, I assumed he did, but tonight proved it against another guy who was actually fast, and not one of those stationary robots he’d been fighting.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions
I thought he had World-class
Speed going in. To his credit, he really put it on display tonight. But unless he fights a Maidana/Ortiz/Bradley/Alexander, the KEY question about him will remain.
by The Boxer Rebellion on May 16, 2010 12:33 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
if you think Maidana is gunna knock him out
it will be early, rounds 1 or 2. If Ortiz can knock Maidana down Khan will and Khan has the discipline to stay behind the jab now. If Khan lands flush he’l take him down. The only reason Maidana beat Ortiz was because he stood in fornt of him. Khan won’t do that, Roach won’t let him
by Sweet science on May 16, 2010 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions
I think Ortiz>>>>Khan
Power wise, at least since Roach took over. Say what you will about Victor, but the cat has pop.
by The Boxer Rebellion on May 16, 2010 12:37 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Oh yeah
But Khan ain’t excatly Paulie
by Sweet science on May 16, 2010 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions
Let's agree on this
Maidana-Khan BEGS to get made now. I really wanna see it.
by The Boxer Rebellion on May 16, 2010 12:40 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
His biggest weakness has not been tested since Precott (who stinks). Maidana will have no respect for him, will take 2 shots to
land one, and flatten him by Round 6.
I don’t really think it’s a question of his weakness needing to be tested; we are well aware that his chin is awful. What needs to be tested, and already has been to a slight degree, is whether or not Khan can neutralise this weakness and remain effective.
Obviously, Paulie has poor power and had a very small chance of doing damage to even Khan’s chin. Despite this, I feel that this fight shows Khan’s ability to diminish the negative effect of his weak chin to a considerable degree. Paulie has good hand speed and is a skillful boxer, yet he barely hit Khan at all.
Key to this, in my opinion, were Khan’s jab and his remarkable discipline. His concentration doesn’t seem to lapse during his bouts which is what will be crucial to defending his chin and, consequently, ensuring success as a fighter.
As far as Maidana is concerned, maybe he will try to take two of Khan’s shots to land one, but it will be more like him taking four of Khan’s shots and then still being too far away from Khan to land anything. Maidana doesn’t have anything like the level of skill needed to beat a guy like Amir, and he will be getting hit far too hard to just walk through shots.
"All the time he's boxing, he's thinking. All the time he was thinking, I was hitting him." - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on May 16, 2010 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions
We're not what?
What are you talking about?
"All the time he's boxing, he's thinking. All the time he was thinking, I was hitting him." - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on May 16, 2010 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Prescott
Clearly didn’t have 1/10 of the boxing skill as Khan, and he crushed him. I know, Freddy Roach, new style, etc, but we are talking about a guy with a horrible chin going against sledgehammer power. I expect Khan to be way up on the cards when the end comes, but one shot like any of the ones Ortiz took, and it will be lights out.
by The Boxer Rebellion on May 16, 2010 1:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
No denying
140 is on fire. I could probably name 5-6 REALLY compelling fights which could get made at any moment.
by The Boxer Rebellion on May 16, 2010 12:45 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Sure enough
You got Khan, Maidana, Ortiz, Alexander and Bradley. You can stick any of them guy’s against each other and you can see ways in which they can win or lose.
by Sweet science on May 16, 2010 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions
I’d LOVE to see Alexander-Khan. Or Alexander-Bradley. Or Khan-Bradley. Or Maidana against any of them, as they all have far more pure ability but none of them hit like that. But I’m a Maidana fanboy. I think he’s the nastiest puncher in the sport.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on May 16, 2010 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions
If I'm not the founding member,
Then I’m a charter member of the Maidana fanboi club. To paraphrase Chris Matthews, I get a tingle up my leg when he fights.
by The Boxer Rebellion on May 16, 2010 1:20 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The way I see it there are 2 distinct levels in the 140 division:
Level 1: Bradley and Alexander
Level 2 (fatally flawed): Khan (chin), Oritz (Heart/mental game), Maidana (Speed), Urango (uppercuts/defense), Paulie (power), Peterson (power-ish)
Khan is probably the top of tier 2 but I think he gets destroyed by Bradley and Alex. Also I have no idea how Khan will respond under duress. Also the matchups in level 2 are really interesting. So Paulie probably beat Maidana but Khan probably doesn’t. Peterson will lose to Ortiz but might beat Paulie.
Peterson is the safe play for the next fight for Khan, but they seemed like they wanted Maidana which would help explain the sudden back injury….
by Waldo Rastel on May 17, 2010 5:56 AM EDT up reply actions

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