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Who does Paul Malignaggi, seen by many fight-watchers as the best on-air analyst working today, think is the pound-for-pound best pugilist active in the squared circle today?
I reached out to the Showtime color man, and put it to him: Is Loma number one in your eyes…or nah? And did fans give him too much credit for making Rigo quit, being that Rigo was coming up two weight classes and was, in retrospect, in over his head?
“Loma, Bud Crawford, even GGG all deserve consideration for that spot,” said the Brooklyn bred ex-hitter, who hung up his mitts earlier in the year, though he’s said he’d do it again if UFCer and boxing dabbler Conor McGregor wanted to square off, and bring their rivalry to climax.
“I do think Jeff Horn will be a tougher fight than people think for Bud,” he continued, after showing a strong political game, side-stepping deftly the desire for me to get him to pick a single pack leader.
“A physically rough fighter in your third weight class up can become a tricky proposition, as physically you aren’t built with the natural size and strength to offset him like a guy with his style at your natural weight.”
Readers, take the baton. Is Loma your pack leader? Or do you think Bud's bark is badder, that the Nebraskan should hold the top dog slot? Or is GGG your industry standard bearer as of today? Weigh in!