Khan vs. Malignaggi & Ortiz vs. Campbell: Which 140 lb’er Shines the Brightest?
Live from The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 15, four Junior Welterweights will step into the ring. One fight involves two Junior Welterweights trying to resurrect their careers, and the other fight pits two fighters together who are trying to solidify themselves as the best at 140 pounds. So which one of these fighters have the best chance to steal the night?
Amir “King Kong” Khan is the current WBA Junior Welterweight Champion who looks to stake his claim as the best 140 pound fighter when he steps into the ring in his first ever in America against Paulie Malignaggi. Born in Bolton, England, Khan has been boxing since the age of 11, and had a great amateur career including a second round stoppage of Victor Ortiz as one of his more notable amateur victories. Khan turned pro in 2005, fighting in the Lightweight division for most of his career before moving up to Junior Welterweight in 2009, where he captured the Junior Welterweight title at age 22.
Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi is on a mission to spoil Amir Khan’s first boxing match on U.S. soil, proving to the world that he is still one of the elites at 140 pounds. The Italian-American star and a Brooklyn, New York native, he has been fighting at 140 pounds his whole career, with notable wins over Lovemore N’Dou and Juan Diaz.
“Vicious” Victor Ortiz is stepping into the ring on Saturday night, looking to score an impressive victory over the old, but crafty veteran Nate Campbell. The Mexican-American Ortiz was born in Garden City, Kansas to a mother and a father who abandoned him at an early age. During his amateur career, Ortiz dominated the 132 pound weight division until he was eliminated from the U.S. Olympic Boxing Trials, thus, allowing Ortiz to turn pro in 2004 at the age of 17. The 2008 ESPN Prospect of the Year is on the comeback trail after being shocked and stopped by Marcos Maidana back in June of 2009.
“The Galaxy Warrior” Nate Campbell is the former WBA, IBF and WBO Lightweight Champion. The Old Warrior will show up at The Theater at Madison Square Garden Saturday night, with boxing fans unclear if he has anything left in the old ticker. Campbell was born in Jacksonville, Florida. After losing in controversial fashion in the 2000 United States Olympic Trails, Campbell decided to turn pro in the same year to support his family. Campbell fought most of his career at or below Lightweight, and then moved up to Junior Welterweight due to having trouble making weight.
Which fighter will be the most impressive?
The Ortiz vs. Campbell fight will be an intriguing contest. Campbell’s last fight in August of 2009 resulted in a controversial no contest against undefeated Junior Welterweight Timothy Bradley due to head butts by Bradley, while Ortiz is coming off an impressive TKO victory over Hector Alatorre in the tenth and final round of the fight back in February of this year.
Ortiz is an aggressive, hard-punching right handed fighter who boxes southpaw, while Campbell is a jabber, but also likes to stay in the pocket and trade at times also. If Ortiz can keep the pressure on Campbell, Ortiz has a huge chance to steal the night because it is a possibility that Campbell will slow down in the fight and look his age overnight. Ortiz is faster, stronger and younger, while Campbell is slower, weaker and older. You do the math.
In the Main Event between Khan and Malignaggi, this will be one of those fights you can call the Timothy Bradley Sweepstakes. The winner of this fight will have a good chance of testing the undefeated Bradley, considered perhaps the top man in the division. Both fighters are coming off exceptional victories over their recent opponents, Malignaggi getting his revenge on Juan Diaz, and “King Kong” knocking down his last opponent, Dmitry Salita, three times in the first round to hand him the first loss of his career.
Malignaggi is an excellent counter-puncher and he will try to use his elusive skills to land pinpoint shots against the menacing “King Kong,” while staying away from Khan’s punching power. Khan will try to overwhelm Malignaggi with speed and power, which the boxing world knows that Malignaggi has problems with fighters who can pressure him and throw power, particularly when Malignaggi fought Miguel Cotto and Ricky Hatton.
The X factor for the fighter that could steal the night is in the favor of Khan. He has been training with Freddie Roach and he has been holding his own in sparring sessions with Manny Pacquiao. With this exceptional experience, Khan can use what he has learned to possibly stop Malignaggi this Saturday night.
Khan, Malignaggi, Campbell, and Ortiz all have a chance to steal the night, whether it is counter-punching, old experience, or whether it is a fighter taking another one out by storm to end the night. Whichever fighter winds up having the best night on May 15 will surely put themselves in a position to stake their claim as the best 140 champion in the division.
