Victor Ortiz vs. Paulie Malignaggi Set for BKB 62 in LA
Victor Ortiz and Paulie Malignaggi headline BKB 62 on Dec. 5 in Los Angeles. Records, storylines and the betting outlook for the bare knuckle main event.
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Victor Ortiz and Paulie Malignaggi, both former world boxing champions, will meet in a bare knuckle boxing main event at BKB 62 on Saturday, December 5, inside the Trigon at The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing announced the matchup on October 10, with tickets going on sale October 12 at bkbbareknuckle.com/bkb62.
The fight is one fans have wanted for two decades. Ortiz and Malignaggi were both reigning world champions in the same era and circled each other for years without ever signing a boxing contract. BKB CEO David Tetreault called it "one hell of a fight" that "should've happened years ago in traditional boxing," and framed the Orpheum booking as a statement event for the promotion's return to Los Angeles.
What Are Ortiz and Malignaggi's Bare Knuckle Records?
Victor Ortiz enters BKB 62 undefeated in bare knuckle boxing at 1-0 after a unanimous decision win over Dominick Salcido at BKB 56, also in Los Angeles. The former WBC welterweight world champion retired from boxing with a 33-7-3 record and 25 knockouts, having fought Floyd Mayweather Jr., Andre Berto, Marcos Maidana and Robert Guerrero during his career.
Paulie Malignaggi is 1-2 in bare knuckle boxing, with his most recent appearance a challenge for the BKB super welterweight world championship against Rolando Dy. The former two-division world boxing champion finished his boxing career 38-8 with seven knockouts, and fought a murderers' row that included Danny Garcia, Shawn Porter, Zab Judah, Adrien Broner, Amir Khan and the late Ricky Hatton.
Betting Angle
No odds have opened yet for BKB 62, but the storylines point to a competitive betting market once lines are posted. Ortiz is unbeaten in the discipline and comes off a clean decision win, which bookmakers typically reward, while Malignaggi has already tested himself against ranked bare knuckle competition at a world title level. Both men are long removed from their boxing primes, so how each has aged physically and how they've adapted to fighting without gloves will matter more to oddsmakers than their names from a decade ago. Bettors should watch for how the market reacts once each fighter's training camp and weight come into focus closer to December 5.
Ortiz, fighting in his hometown, said he is "ready for a completely different challenge" against a man he called "a former world champion with a lot of experience." Malignaggi fired back that he is coming to Los Angeles to "take him out," closing the book on a rivalry that dates back 15 to 20 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Victor Ortiz vs. Paulie Malignaggi?
Victor Ortiz faces Paulie Malignaggi in the BKB 62 main event on Saturday, December 5, at the Trigon inside The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles.
What are Victor Ortiz and Paulie Malignaggi's bare knuckle records?
Victor Ortiz is 1-0 in bare knuckle boxing after beating Dominick Salcido at BKB 56, while Paulie Malignaggi is 1-2, most recently challenging Rolando Dy for the BKB super welterweight world championship.
Did Victor Ortiz and Paulie Malignaggi ever fight in boxing?
No, the two were rival world champions in the same era but never fought each other in professional boxing; BKB 62 marks their first meeting, now in bare knuckle boxing.
