The challenge Malignaggi vs. Judah for the virtual title of "Champion of Brooklyn"

Two former world champions Zab Judah (42-8, 29 KO’s) and Paulie Malignaggi (32-5, 7 KO’s) will step inside the ring this Saturday night to face off on Showtime at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. There won’t be a major world title on the line for this fight, because both guys are coming off of close 12 round decision defeats in their previous fights. However, the vacant NABF welterweight title will be up for grabs for this one, but I’m not sure that’s an appealing belt for them because it doesn’t carry the same weight that the major title straps do.

Judah has the speed, power and the boxing ability to beat Malignaggi. But Judah is going to have to show the same toughness that he did in his last fight against Danny Garcia for him to get the win, because Malignaggi will be fighting hard to win this fight because he realizes what’s at stake if he loses.

This is a crossroads fight for both Judah and Malignaggi, because both guys are getting up there in age in their 30s, and neither of arguably have the talent to compete against the best in their weight classes. 

Malignaggi was the WBA welterweight title briefly after being WBA paper champion Vyacheslav Senchenko by a 9th round TKO last year in April to grab his WBA 147 lb. title. But Malignaggi looked terrible in his first defense of the belt in barely beating fringe contender Pablo Cesar Cano last year in October.

And then in Malignaggi’s second defense, he was beaten by Adrien Broner by a 12 round split decision last June. While it was definitely a close fight, it’s clear that Malignaggi lost the fight. Broner’s performance in that fight wasn’t impressive, and it’d difficult to picture him beating the better welterweights in the division like Keith Thurman, Devon Alexander or Kell Brook. 

We’re not even talking about the top guys Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, because Broner is simply not in their class. But Malignaggi’s loss to Broner kind of put things in perspective as far as Malignaggi’s talent goes and what he has left in the tank at 33.

Judah just turned 36 last October, and he was beaten by WBA/WBC light welterweight champion Danny Garcia by a 12 round unanimous decision last April in a close fight. It was close, but Judah still lost, and he’s now been beaten in 2 out of his last 3 fights. With his hand speed and power, Judah probably has the talent to still hold down one of the world titles at 140.

I would favor him against IBF light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson if he could get a fight against him, but Judah doesn’t have a lot of time to wait a couple of years before he can face Peterson. At 36, Judah can’t be waiting around for long periods of time to face paper champions because it’s not worth it. He’s better off fighting the best fighters he can and ignoring the titles.

Malignaggi will need to do more than jabbing and throwing an occasional power shot in order to have a chance to beat Judah on Saturday. It’s going to take a lot more of a concerted effort from Malignaggi to win.