Paulie Malignaggi (30-4, 6 KOs) was wobbled by a right hand to the head in the first round by Lora, but and rolled to a lopsided 10-round decision against Orlando Lora (28-2-1, 19 KOs) in the opening bout of the HBO PPV telecast.
Malignaggi’s jab was his dominant weapon. The former junior welterweight titlist used it throughout the fight, although he doesn’t carry much power. He had dominated most of the first round with it before Lora clipped him with a flush right hand. It badly hurt Malignaggi, sent him reeling and nearly knocked him down.
But Malignaggi recovered well and easily outboxed Lora, winning 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92. Lora was hampered by a cut over his left eye — which was in a bad spot, although not bleeding heavily — that happened in the third round.
Malignaggi won his third fight in a row since moving up to welterweight in the wake of a one-sided 11th-round TKO loss challenging 140-pound titlist Amir Khan in May 2010.
Newly crowned WBO Inter-Continental Junior Welterweight Champion Danny Garcia (Right) lands a right hand en route to a unanimous decision victory over former World Champion Kendall Holt (Left) on October 15, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
2011 ESPN Arthur Ashe Courage Award Recipient Dewey Bozella (Right) poses following his unanimous decision victory over Larry Hopkins.