:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/9435001/20120830_jel_se8_059.0.jpg)
Paulie Malignaggi has been told by Richard Schaefer that if his June 22 fight with Adrien Broner winds up on HBO, Showtime Sports head Stephen Espinoza would give his blessing, but Malignaggi says he'll speak to Espinoza himself, as he feels a loyalty to the network.
"Showtime has been with me 100 percent, and I don't want to ruin that relationship. They've been really awesome with me. Plus, I want to call Floyd's fight in May, you know? ... I've been told that it can be worked out. But, again, you know, I would talk to Stephen Espinoza to make sure, because I don't want to offend my guys at Showtime."
It's a nice gesture on Malignaggi's part, since Showtime has hired him as a color commentator (and a good one, at that). Making sure that there won't be any bad blood coming out of him potentially fighting Broner on HBO -- which is what most expect to happen, as Broner is being positioned as a cornerstone of HBO boxing -- is a smart move.