Herman Ngoudjo
The only loss on Herman Ngoudjo’s fight record may turn out to be a blessing when the Montreal boxer enters the ring for his first world title fight.
Ngoudjo (16-1) faces Paul Malignaggi (23-1), the International Boxing Federation light welterweight champion from New York, at Bally’s Ballroom in Atlantic City, N.J., on Saturday night.
It will be Ngoudjo’s second fight under the spotlight of live U.S. television, after his heartbreaking split decision loss in Las Vegas on Jan. 20, 2006 to ring veteran Jose Luis Castillo, the former world champion.
"He fought a legend and a former world champion and did much better than people expected," promoter Yvon Michel said Friday of the Castillo fight. "A year ago, he would not have been prepared for a title challenge, but now he is."
"That fight helped people to know who I am and where I’m from," the 28-year-old Ngoudjo said. "It helped me a lot.
"I don’t feel any pressure because I know I did the job in the gym and I’m ready."
The Cameroon-born fighter, who stayed in Canada after the 2001 Francophone Games in Ottawa/Gatineau, was less impressive in a slugfest with American Randall Bailey in August in Montreal, but eked out a split decision win.
That victory made him the mandatory challenger to Malignaggi, who won the IBF belt with a 12-round unanimous decision over Lovemore N’dou in June.
The American champion is known for rapid-fire punching, although he has knocked out only five opponents, all early in his career. He has not stopped an opponent before the distance since a sixth-round TKO win over Kevin Watts in 2003.
Ngoudjo, a somewhat heavier puncher, has nine KOs, but chances are good this one will go the 12-round distance.
"I don’t think about knockouts," said Ngoudjo. "I just look at fighting the guy – to hurt him and close his mouth and make him respect me."
The two fighters have spent much of the week trash-talking one another, although that’s hardly novel in boxing. Malgnaggi promised this week to use Ngoudjo’s head for a pinball.
"After I became (mandatory challenger), I looked on the internet and saw that he was saying bad things about me," said Ngoudjo. "I decided to wait until we had a press conference to tell him I heard about that and I’ll make him pay."
Malignaggi is the favourite and is already looking ahead to challenging British star Ricky Hatton, who is expected to return to the 140-pound decision after his beating last month at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr. at 147 pounds.
The Brooklyn boxer’s only loss was a 12-round pounding by unbeaten WBO champ Miguel Cotto, who is listed on everyone’s top-10 pound-for-pound lists.
An Ngoudjo win would give Canada four boxers with titles from the major fight sanctioning bodies, after IBF super-bantamweight champ Steve Molitor of Mississauga, Ont., IBF super-middleweight champion Lucian Bute of Montreal and WBA light middleweight champ Joachim Alcine of Montreal.
Alcine also fights in Michel’s GYM stable.
"No matter who loses this fight, he will still be a strong contender in the division and will get another chance,"’ added Michel. "But I really think it’s Herman’s turn to shine."
Molitor (25-0) makes his third title defence Jan. 19 at Casino Rama near Orilla, Ont., against Ricardo Castillo (33-4) of Mexico.
On the same night, two former multiple title holders clash when Roy Jones Jr. faces Felix Trinidad at Madison Square Garden, and Ruslan Chagaev of Uzbekistan defends his WBA heavyweight title against Briton Matt Skelton in Germany.
Super-middleweight contender Jean Pascal (20-0) of Laval, Que., has a warm-up bout Jan. 11 in Hollywood, Fla., against Omar Pittman (15-3-1) of the U.S.
Source: Ngoudjo to face Malignaggi Saturday
