Paulie Malignaggi disputes "s*** decision" following BKFC 6 loss

The grudge match may be over, but all is not in order after Bare Knuckle FC 6. The event had a heated buildup between bitter rivals Artem Lobov and Paulie Malignaggi, with the two getting into scuffles at more than one occasion as well as the latter spitting on the former at a press conference.

When the fight finally played out it was a more technical affair than many had expected, with less wild striking exchanges and neither letting emotions get to them. After all five rounds were over, the judges unanimously awarded Lobov the victory via a clean sweep of 48-47 scores – a result Malignaggi didn’t agree with.

“I pretty much got the worst of everything, because, I got a shit decision, and I made a tick tack toe board out of his face with my left hand. “

The former boxing champion also claims only to have been struck with a single hard punch – despite the numerous cuts on his face telling a different story.

“First of all, I still look pretty? I still look alright? At least I have all my teeth.” Paulie Malignaggi joked. “Listen, I mean the first round is always like a feel out round. But honestly, I’m not even kidding… I got hit with one clean punch all night. In that one clinch I got hit with a couple of little good shots. In that one clinch, I think it was two little short shots he hit me with, in one of the clinches and that was it. I mean otherwise it was like little grazing shots that hit my stomach or grazed my face. I thought I pretty much out-boxed him the whole way.”

Malignaggi went on to say that he wasn’t getting hit by Lobovs strikes, and claimed that the referees didn’t know what they were doing. He also told the press that that he had planned to keep on fighting if he had won. This does, however, seem to be the last we’ve seen of Malignaggi in the ring.

“Maybe this wasn’t meant to be,” Malignaggi said. “A lot of people in boxing said ‘You shouldn’t do this. You’re a two-time world champion. This is beneath you.’”

Despite much of what happened leading up to the fight Lobov was gracious in victory, respecting his opponent and his willingness to take the fight.

“You know to me, there are many people who talk a lot of (expletive), and then they don’t show up,” Lobov said. “Paulie shows up. You can like him or hate him, but in terms of a fighter, he showed up tonight to fight.”

Aside from this, the late replacement Dakota Cochrane defeated UFC veteran Chris Leben via unanimous decision, and former Ultimate Fighter staple Johnny Bedford claimed a unanimous decision victory, and the BKFC lightweight title, over Reggie Barnett Jr.

Artem Lobov def. Paulie Malignaggi via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Dakota Cochrane def. Chris Leben via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
Johnny Bedford def. Reggie Barnett Jr. via unanimous decision (47-45, 47-45, 48-44) – to win BKFC and Police Gazette lightweight titles
Julian Lane def. Tom Shoaff via unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45)
Joey Beltran def. Jamie Campbell via knockout – Round 2, 1:50 Walber Barros vs. Joe Riggs declared a unanimous draw (47-47, 47-47, 47-47)
Abdiel Velazquez def. Travis Thompson via unanimous decision (49-46 48-47 50-45)
Jim Alers def. Elvin Brito via knockout – Round 1, 0:45
Chris Boffil def. Jared Hayes via TKO – Round 3, 1:55
David Mundell def. Drew Lipton via knockout – Round 1, 1:35