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Alexander-Khan, Malignaggi-Judah, Ortiz on same card?

Fighters Network
26
Aug

How would you like to see welterweight Devon Alexander defend his IBF belt against Amir Khan, a matchup between Brooklyn-born former titleholders Paulie Malignaggi and Zab Judah, and a third bout featuring former beltholder Victor Ortiz, all on the same event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Dec. 7?

That’s a card that could happen if Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer can make it so.

Schaefer had said that Dubai, the United Kingdom, and Barclays Center in Brooklyn were all among the considerations for a proposed Dec. 7 matchup between Alexander and Khan, a former two-time 140-pound titlewinner who is looking to make his 147-pound debut.

Khan would be looking for his third straight victory in as many fights under new trainer Virgil Hunter if he were to meet Alexander, a former IBF and WBC junior welterweight beltholder.



“The date would be Dec. 7. I have had some conversations over the weekend with the ruling family from Dubai, and it looks like that Dec. 7 date is too tight to pull that of in Dubai given the kind of event that they would want to do,” said Schaefer.

“So it’s not 100 percent sure, but it looks like right now that the fight is going to happen at the Barclays Center on Dec. 7. It would be a doubleheader, for sure, and possibly a tripleheader.”

Schaefer said he still has yet to finalize the deal between Alexander and Khan.

“I’ve talked to both teams about the financial structure, and I’m waiting to hear back from both guys,” said Schaefer. “I believe that Devon Alexander is on board, so I’m just waiting to hear back from the Khans.”

Meanwhile Judah was last in the ring for a spirited unanimous decision loss to RING junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia, and Malignaggi is coming off June’s split-decision loss to Adrien Broner, who dethroned him as WBA 147-pound titleholder.

“Zab Judah against Paulie Malignaggi — that would be a helluva fight. We will have to see if that could be done. I think Zab, obviously, could fight at 140 or at 147. Zab’s goal, obviously, is to get another big fight and I’m talking BIG in capitol letters. So he wants the biggest possible fight at 147, for that, he needs to fight some credible opponent at 147,” said Schaefer.

“I think that Paulie Malignaggi is definitely a credible opponent, given the performance he showed against Adrien Broner in his last fight. Talking about making big fight for particular markets, and fights which have national and international significance as well, if you’re talking about a fight that belongs in a certain venue, that would be Zab Judah against Paulie Malignaggi from the Barclays Center. It would be an interesting fight inside of the ring and an interesting promotion outside of the ring.”

Ortiz is currently filming the third installment of the action movie series “The Expendables,” as announced last month by actor Sylvester Stallone, and previously reported by RingTV.com.

Ortiz was recently involved in Dancing With The Stars, and was last victorious with a unanimous decision over Andre Berto in April of 2011. Since then, Ortiz has lost his last two fights to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Josesito Lopez by fourth- and ninth-round stoppages in September of 2011 and June of last year, respectively.

“I would like to see the return of a Victor Ortiz on that card, depending on his filming. He is filming right now in Bulgaria with the Expendables,” said Schaefer. “So maybe there is an opportunity for Victor. Those are some fights which I would like to see. Whether they’re going to happen I don’t know.”

Photo by Naoki Fukuda

Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]

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