Former world champion Paulie Malignaggi made a sensational return to competition, beating Tyler Goodjohn by split decision in a five-round bare-knuckle fight at Planet Ice Leeds on Saturday night.

The 44-year-old Brooklyn native showcased his signature footwork and tactical precision in a unique triangle shape BKB ring, overcoming adversity to secure victory.

Blinded and battle scarred

The fight took a dramatic turn early on when Malignaggi took a nasty jab that left him nearly blind in his right eye. He also suffered severely swollen hands – a persistent problem that marred his last bare-knuckle fight in 2019 against Artem Lobov. Despite these setbacks, Malignaggi’s disciplined approach and high number of strikes earned him the nod from the judges, awarding them scores of 48-47, 48-47 and 47-48.

“I had to hang in there. Tyler took no prisoners today. I started well, but he started coming in very, very tough. After that poke in the eye, I’m still blind in this [right] eye. Maybe that’s why I got cut. I finished the fight with one eye. I only saw shadows,” Malignaggi said after raising his hand.

Training pays off

“We worked a lot. We did a lot of not only strength training, but also movement and strength-based nervous system training to get ready for camp and boxing. At my age, I didn’t want to go back to boxing. That was a really substantial asset for me because it got me ready for the rhythm, it got my core ready, and when I started boxing, it really allowed me to get the best out of myself.”

“I’m here for a long time, but not long. I want to win the championship belt with BKB after this. Nothing makes me happier than achieving it. This is more crucial than money. I made the weight much easier than I expected. With a little more push, I could box at 147. I want to win the belt at 154 and then become champion at 147.”

Goodjohn, an experienced British bare-knuckle fighter with a record of 5-4 (1 KO), applied constant pressure and landed some bulky shots, but was unable to match Malignaggi’s technical finesse. Both fighters added flair, with Malignaggi taunting like a matador and Goodjohn lounging on the ropes with a smile.

About the author

Phil Jay is experienced boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global combat scene. How Since 2010, editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN).Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and the most crucial boxing evenings in the ring were reported.

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