Paulie Malignaggi is making a comeback in bare-knuckle boxing (BKB) after a tough initial outing, as he aims to capture a world title in this emerging combat sport. Although he retired from professional boxing in 2017, Malignaggi’s heated rivalry with Conor McGregor that summer eventually led him into the BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) scene, where he faced McGregor’s then-close ally Artem Lobov.
Despite unexpectedly losing that fight and stepping away from competition, aside from an exhibition bout against social media personality Corey B in 2021, Malignaggi returned last year to face Tyler Goodjohn, earning a gritty and hard-fought victory despite suffering multiple cuts and eye injuries.
Now, at 45 years old, Malignaggi shows no signs of quitting and is set for a BKB Super Welterweight World Championship clash on May 18th in Manchester against Rolando Dié, the son of former boxing world champion Rolando Navarrete and a former MMA and UFC competitor himself.
Malignaggi expressed pride in demonstrating his skill despite physical setbacks, calling bare-knuckle boxing “raw and real,” and emphasized the importance of building a legacy as a two-sport world champion. Meanwhile, Dié acknowledges Malignaggi’s boxing legend status but insists that bare-knuckle is a different challenge, promising a tough title defense.
David Tetrault, CEO of BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, praised Malignaggi’s toughness and viewed this title fight against Dié as an exciting chapter, expecting a high-caliber battle at the Trigon venue. The fight will air on TalkSPORT in the UK and Ireland and on Vice TV and Telemundo in the United States.
Fan Take: This matchup is significant because it bridges traditional boxing and bare-knuckle fighting, highlighting the growing legitimacy and appeal of BKB as a competitive sport. For fight fans, Malignaggi’s pursuit of a second-world title in a new format could inspire more established fighters to explore and elevate bare-knuckle boxing’s profile worldwide.
