Malignaggi and Augustus Victorious on Friday Night Fights
By "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr. (Febraury 11, 2006)  
Paulie Malignaggi
Newly minted WBC Continental Americas light welterweight champion Paul Malignaggi 21-0 (5) banged out a textbook victory over the Coloradoan Donald Camarena 16-2 (9) on Saturday night at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, CT on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.

The twenty-five year old Brooklyn native outworked and outclassed the southpaw by pecking away with numerous jabs while keeping his distance and successfully counterpunching the entire bout. Camarena appeared to be lost eating jab after jab while stalking ‘The Magic Man’ in search of that one shot to end it all. Unfortunately for Camarena he was only able to land on occasion without much significance while the much faster and busier Malignaggi utilized his superior hand speed to gain the lopsided decision.

After ten rounds of boxing the judges gave the go ahead and title to the undefeated Brooklynite by scores of 98-92 and 100-90 twice. Just another notch on the flashy Malignaggi’s belt while he continues his climb towards a world title shot.

The opening bout of the night can best be summed up with one sentence, ‘a fight full of fist flying action’. Longtime journeyman Emanuel Augustus 32-25-6 (17) and Columbian Jaime Rangel 30-9-1 (26) traded punch after punch for ten highly entertaining rounds.

Augustus, who has had his share of bad calls in the past, came to fight as always and the two began brawling as the first bell sounded. The fight was nothing but action with the two continuously pounding one another, trading shot after shot with Rangel getting the better end of the deal in the early going.

Mid rounds Augustus landed two powerful right hands that shook his opponent and after a night full of some serious fighting, he wobbled and dropped Rangel to win the fight in entertaining fashion at 2:27 of the tenth. Augustus was quoted before the fight that if he lost he would retire but after the well-deserved victory said he thought he had proved himself.

Friday Night Fights along with promoter DiBella Entertainment put on a great show for the ringside spectators and television viewers. On Sunday night ESPN will feature The Contender special with Peter Manfredo taking on power punching Scott Pemberton at 9:30 PM ET/ 6:30 PM PT.
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