Silence is Golden: Khan vs. Malignaggi
Written by Troy J. Hines, Saturday May 15 2010
Trash talking and prizefighting go together like an old married couple. They have been together so long, that it’s almost cute when they argue. The wife nags, whines, and screams at times, but the wise man on the couch knows that she will eventually become exhausted if you stare at the television long enough, and turn your Miracle Ear down to zero.
In this new age of web-based social media outlets, companies like Twitter can give a user the news about a particular subject faster than most networks. In fact, I find that many of the stories, in this theatre we call boxing, are broken first by Twitter and then by the larger news conglomerates. It is often a friend of a fighter, relative, trainer, or manager who will “tweet” the latest behind-the-scenes gossip that circulates around the web and finally finds itself in a news story.
In fact, the fighters themselves are using Twitter to interact with the fans, promote their cousin’s clothing line, or talk trash to their next opponent with a hyperactive fan audience. In fact, over the last few months, Paul Malignaggi (27-3-0 {5kos}) has done his best impression of Muhammad Ali by degrading his British adversary with comical puns like Amir “Con”, and with other aggressive “tweets”.
Come on, what could be more scary than an aggressive Twitter message; especially when it comes from a fighter with a knockout percentage of 16.67%.
What Amir Khan (22-1-0 {16kos}) has learned is that “silence is golden”. The Golden Boy product rarely had anything to tweet back, and often just gave training updates, and when and where he was traveling. While Malignaggi has played the role of the badgering wife, Khan has played the role of Al Bundy; uninterested, indifferent, and aloof to the advances.
Tonight, live from Madison Square Garden and aired only on HBO at 9:45pm EST, Paul Malignaggi will challenge Amir Khan for his WBA Light Welterweight title. The former Olympic Silver Medalist and British pop-icon has improved his countering skills and defense since abandoning Jorge Rubio for Freddie Roach.
Coming after the crushing 54 second defeat to the heavy handed Breidis Prescott, Team Khan sought the expertise of the man who gave Manny Pacquiao two hands. Roach hasn’t altered Khan’s fighting style, but has seemed to make Khan’s already impressive overhand right “righter”. It finds its target, recoils, and fires again.
The flamboyant Brooklyn native will be forced to use his cunning and ring intelligence, if he wants to win a decision victory. History shows that he does not have the punching power to hurt the man whose DNA traces back to the ancient warriors of Pakistan-- the Janjua Rajputs.
Tonight will end the questions of whether Khan is an over-hyped fighting poster boy who is being churned out of Golden Boy’s promotional farm, or if he is a true force to be reckoned with at 140lbs.
In my opinion, a win isn’t enough. Khan must win impressively. And if he does, his managers should tell him to stretch his hands out to the crowd, emotionless, like Tyson did after his knockout of Trevor Berbick. As if to say, I’m not surprised, I hope you’re not either. Silence is golden.
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