Ricky Burns will face unbeaten Namibian Julius Indongo for the WBA and IBF 140-pound titles at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on April 15, live on Sky Sports, it was reported, and that surprised me.

That’s because the last time I saw Paul Malignaggi, it was before Christmas and the Brooklyner, in Florida and doing some work at the WBC Convention, was working out. He had a heat-up top on, as he went through shadow boxing and rope. He’d been doing the TV thing, and eating more like an analyst than fighter, so he was in sweat it off mode. Why? He was going to see if he could trim down and turn back the clock, see if he could force his brain and body to starve and carve down to 140 pounds. 

We will see, he told me in Florida, where I was taping for my Everlast podcast, TALKBOX.

Paulie saw, and couldn’t conquer. 

That’s why the other guy, not Malignaggi, is going to be testing Burns. 

Paulie joked that Burns was ducking him, then spilled the beans.  “No,” he texted me.  “I dunno if I could really make the weight anyway, was probably for the best.”

But don’t fret, Paulie fans, he’s still got the urge for combat. “Working on European (welterweight) champion (24-1 Spaniard) Ceferino Rodriguez. We’ll see.”