WHY WAIT? 
BY STEPHEN S. JOHNSON

(IB- January 23, 2010) The latest buzz in boxing has Kermit Cintron (32-2-1, 28 KO's) battling Paul Williams (38-1, 27 KO's) on an HBO April 10th card that allegedly will include newly signed Golden Boy Productions' Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO's) against Andre Berto (26-0, 19 KO's) in New York's' Madison Square Garden.

Having the name of Andre Berto linked to any fight card in the next 6 months gives further ammunition to those who speculate Berto was given "step-aside money" from Oscar de la hoya and Golden Boy Productions. 

The appearance of allowing Berto to attend to issues in his earthquake ravaged home country of Haiti, while actually permitting negotiations for a much more lucrative Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KO's) vs Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (40-0, 25 KO's) bout to begin, will be a gray cloud if Berto should fight anytime soon.

Paulie Malignaggi (27-3, 5KO's) has openly challenged Amir Khan ever since Khan defeated Ukrainian born Dmitry Salita (30-1-1, 16 KO's) in a mandatory title (light-welterweight) defense back in December of 2009.

So why not a match between Paulie Malignaggi and Amir Khan?

The 5'8" Brooklyn native Malignaggi would definitely "pack the house" in a fight against the 5'10" Khan. 

Malignaggi is not someone who just "came out of the woodwork". Paulie Malignaggi has been clamoring for "big fights" the last several years and, although I'm no fan of his, he continues to maintain his bravado of wanting to "fight anybody, anyplace and anytime" in the light welter to welterweight divisions.

On the day Amir Khan officially signed with GBP, he clearly stated his main objective in coming to the United States was to gain world-wide recognition by fighting the best fighters out there. Something he felt could not be accomplished in his home country of England.

The fight between Khan and Malignaggi could be billed as: AMIR KHAN (THE TRAITIOR) vs PAULIE MALIGNAGGI (THE MOUTH) and would be of definite interest to fight fans.

Should Khan defeat Malignaggi, that would effectively be the end of "The Mouth" as anything other than the label OPPONENT. 

Malignaggi will not be an easy fight for the much taller Khan.

Should Malignaggi dispatch of Khan, the questions of "is Amir Khan making the leap into the shark infested waters of the welterweight division too soon?", along with his much discussed shameful dispatching of long time English promoter Frank Warren, would be answered. 

Such a defeat would prove to be devastating for Khan, both financially and career wise.

But this fight is what both fighters seem to want, so WHY WAIT?

Were this fight to be offered to boxing fans, along with a MAIN EVENT featuring two of the most feared fighters in any division, THAT would be a situation that is consistent with what we all know is "the real deal" in keeping boxing alive. 

Paul Williams vs Kermit Cintron would actually need no spectacular undercard, as both of these fighters embody what championship fights are (or should be) all about.

TRUE CHAMPIONS in professional boxing sometime or another come up against someone who is just as prepared that particular evening as they are. There is no shame in that evening and most of the time a 2nd and even a 3rd fight is needed to determine who the better of the 2 fighters is.

Paul Williams' professional record shows 1 lone defeat in 39 bouts, while Kermit Cintron has a professional record that reveals 2 defeats and 1 draw in 35 fights. Neither fighter is one others go looking for and most definitely don't call-out, verifying their tenacity and commitment to their sport.   

Should the night of April 10, 2010 on HBO Television, give boxing fans a fight card that features Paulie Malignaggi vs Amir Khan on the undercard followed by Kermit Cintron vs Paul Williams in the main event, now that would be a NIGHT of CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

Just don't you count on it...