Ortiz, Malignaggi Set Bare-Knuckle Fight

Former world champions Victor Ortiz and Paulie Malignaggi will fight a five-round super welterweight bare-knuckle bout on December 5, 2026, headlining BKB 62 at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre. BKB confirmed the card to USA TODAY Sports. The two never met as professional boxers and will compete in BKB’s Trigon ring. Ortiz, 39, won the WBC welterweight title in 2011 (record 33-7-3, 25 KOs). He debuted bare-knuckle in July 2026 with a unanimous decision over Dominic Salcido after a knockdown, left eye swollen shut. Malignaggi, 45, won the IBF junior-welterweight title in 2007 (36-8, 7 KOs) and is 1-2 in bare knuckle after a Round 2 stoppage by Rolando Dy on May 16, 2026 in Manchester. Malignaggi said two big-name boxers are needed to draw fans and called this one of the biggest bare-knuckle fights that can be made; he expects little holding and more swinging and slashing in the Trigon. Ortiz said the punches do not hurt more than life itself. BKB CEO David Tetreault said the former champions’ pedigree makes it a really big deal and that they never took a backward step. Separately, Tetreault said talks with Tyson Fury and Andy Ruiz for a mega-event are active and that BKB has the funding if the right card can be built. No such fight is booked.