BROOKLYN (August 2, 2015) – Danny “Swift” Garcia (31-0, 18 KOs) kept his perfect record intact Saturday with a ninth-round TKO of two-time world champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (33-7, 7 KOs) on Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Garcia was able to control the fight with lead rights and counter left hooks that kept the agile Malignaggi from landing anything significant. The punishment took its toll on Malignaggi as a cut opened up on his right eye in the third round.
Despite being the crowd favorite in his native Brooklyn, Malignaggi was unable to land multiple punches on Garcia and put him in real danger. In the ninth round Garcia’s crisp blows finally proved to be too much for Malignaggi as the ref stopped the fight at 2:22 into the round.
In the televised opener, Brooklyn’s Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs (30-1, 27 KOs) knocked down former world champion Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora (28-4-2, 9 KOs) twice on his way to a second round stoppage and a successful defense of his middleweight world title.
The first round featured exciting action from both men as Jacobs delivered a crisp right hook that sent Mora to the canvas early. Just seconds after getting up, Mora responded by hitting Jacobs with a clean counter that stunned Jacobs and sent him to the mat.
After tagging Mora with hard shots at the end of round one, Jacobs continued to come forward and sent Mora to the canvas with a flurry late in the second round. Mora appeared to injure his right leg on the knockdown and was unable to continue. The official stoppage came 2:55 into round two.
Here is what the fighters had to say Saturday:
Photo: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
DANNY GARCIA
“I felt a lot stronger. In the ninth round I felt like it was round one. I need to work on shortening up punches and sticking with the game plan. My dad wanted me to be sharp and throw more straight punches.
“I feel strong and I feel good. I used my jab. There were definitely things I have to work on but I’m proud of myself. 147 is where it’s at.
“Paulie is a great champion. He’s a craft veteran with a great jab and foot movement. But I went in there and executed the game plan.
“Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter are great fighters in this division. If they want, we can make it happen.”
PAULIE MALIGNAGGI
“I was trying to dictate the pace because I didn’t want him to get into a groove. He’s a hard puncher and I didn’t want to give him confidence to land a big shot. I wanted to dictate with my jab and keep him missing, so he’d second guess on throwing his power. The less power shots he threw the less power shots he could hit me with.
“I was trying to take a bit of his confidence. He was walking me down fairly well behind the jab. He cut me in the fourth and I think that upped his confidence. I never could get control of the pace though. In spots I felt I was giving up less ground and I had him missing. He got back on his groove though and he had a strong advantage.
Photo: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
“I think Danny can be an upper echelon fighter, he already is. He can put his name in the history books. He has a lot of talent. People don’t realize he has a lot of character too. He has a very good poker face. He doesn’t get frustrated, and if he does he doesn’t show it to you.
“His father’s a great trainer and he really stays on him. Danny listens and they have a great relationship. Every time a round would start it was like he was fresh. Even at the end of rounds when I gave him something to think about he came back, and that’s really important.
“I’ve got a really good job commentating and watching great fighters fight ringside. I hope to sit around ringside for a long time. I felt like if I couldn’t put up a great performance tonight then it would be my last. I was trying to hang tough as much as I could. I remember when I was taking big shots I just kept thinking ‘Don’t give in. This is your last night if you give in. Don’t show that you’re going to give in. If you can show that you’re still hungry for it then you’ll convince yourself that this isn’t the end.’ I wanted to keep showing that I want it. Little by little he broke me down, and I have no problem with the stoppage.
“I’m probably not fighting again. You hate to make an emotional decision. My career started in Brooklyn 14 years ago. If it ends in Brooklyn tonight then at least I ended it at home where I’m from and in front of the greatest fans in the world.”
Photos: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
DANIEL JACOBS
“I wanted to stop him on my own. I didn’t want him to quit on the stool but I know that he knew it was going to end in a couple of rounds anyway.
“I want Peter Quillin next. It’s a fight the fans deserve. Brooklyn always supports both of us and it would be a great way to close out the year.
“No rematch, no reason to go backwards. Thank God for this victory, but I’m not going to give him a rematch just because.
“I said did a guy with nine knockouts really knock me down?
“I think these Brooklynites deserve something special and I think me and ‘Kid Chocolate’ would be that special fight here at Barclays. We’re on the ‘A’ side now, we’re champions, so let’s do it!”
Photo: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
SERGIO MORA
Spoken to his corner man “I know it’s broken [right ankle]. I heard it pop.”
“I heard my ankle snap and my knee also felt funny and I couldn’t put pressure on it.
“I knew the first few rounds would be tough, we expected that. My plan was to take him into deep water.
“Adrenaline can make you do stupid things. With a puncher like Danny, I needed movement.
“I told you I came here to fight. I give him credit, but I came to take this championship. I want a rematch.”
Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN was promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Swift Promotions.
Paulie’s head has never looked right since the Porter fight. His head took such damage it changed the shape of it. Now after this fight he might never look the same. RETIRE.
I’m not always a fan of Paulie’s conspiracy theories, but aside from that he’s a smart commentator and a legitimate veteran. He took his loss with class and, anti-Pacquiao rants aside, I respect his level-headed consideration of retirement and wish him well.