Shawn Porter impressed with a surprising fourth round stoppage of the normally durable Paulie Malignaggi.
Porter was too physical for the light punching Malignaggi. The first round was relatively close as it was a feeling out process but Porter opened a cut under Malignaggi's left eye with a hard jab. In the second, however, Porter simply imposed his will. He landed a leaping left hook and badly hurt Malignaggi who looked surprised at Porter's power. Malignaggi was pummeled over the course of the round but there was a feeling he could recover as he so often did in the past. The second round, however, proved to be no fluke as Porter continued the beat-down in the third, slamming Malignaggi with overhand rights and bullying him against the ropes. Porter ended matters in the fourth...he hurt the Magic Man bad with a hard right followed a vicious combination of shots that sent Malignaggi catapulting through the ropes and on to the ring apron. The referee called a halt to the bout and helped the Magic Man back into the ring.
Malignaggi engaged in his usual trash talk before the bout and had dismissed Porter as being a “basic” fighter. He was, however, gracious in defeat.
“Paulie wished me the best,” Porter said after the bout. “He said 'make sure they know that I lost to a great champion. Go out there and be great'. I am going to honor his words and his wishes.”
Porter now looks to defend against Kell Brook of the United Kingdom this summer.
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