Artem Lobov Responds To Paulie Malignaggi Slapping Him In NYC

Earlier today headlines arose when Paulie Malignaggi slapped Artem Lobov at a Bare Knuckle FC media event in New York City.

After a heated back-and-forth trash talk exchange, Malignaggi swiped at Lobov before the fighters were quickly separated. Lobov said he was apparently asked by BKFC promoter Dave Feldman not to get physical with Malignaggi. He obliged, but the former boxing champion did not.

Chaos erupted, and Malignaggi was even held back by former UFC title contender and current BKFC ‘ambassador’ Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. Lobov insisted Malignaggi broke his own word in a phone interview with MMA Fighting shortly after the dust-up. He insisted Malignaggi claimed he wouldn’t throw hands at the media event but did anyway.

It was fine according to fan favorite Lobov, who said he walks through way worse. ‘The Russian Hammer’ wanted to see what happened when they actually fought:

“He himself was saying, no, no, no. And then he just got a little cheap shot in. That’s the only way he can f*cking get hands on me, a cheap shot. But whatever. F*ck it. Does he think that’s gonna upset me? I’m a f*cking fighter. I walk through head kicks, you think I’m gonna give a f*ck about that? Whatever, brush it off, move on. Let’s go, let’s see what you got when we actually square off in the ring.”

No Recourse This Time Around

Perhaps 2018’s most controversial scene in MMA erupted when lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov slapped Lobov in a New York hotel almost one year ago. His longtime friend and training partner Conor McGregor flew to Brooklyn and threw a metal dolly at Khabib’s bus, getting arrested in the process. Lobov said that wouldn’t be the case with Malignaggi, however, because he needed him safe for when they fight this summer:

“I need Paulie, I need him wrapped up in bubble wrap, I need him there on June 22, that’s when the provisional date has been set. That’s when I need him. That’s when we get to go at it. Then, we’ll see what happens.”

Broke, Old, & Fat?

Malignaggi has been speaking up about Lobov and McGregor in the media. That includes an appearance on The MMA Hour this week, where he said he would have to hurt Lobov. But the Russian laughed that off, saying Malignaggi was a jab-focused fighter who’s old and could not hurt him:

“Let’s look at the facts. Look at his fights. Who did he do damage to other than himself? He is a jabber. He just jabs, jabs, jabs, jabs. That’s all he ever f*cking does. He didn’t put guys away, ever. He has no knockout power, his hands are fragile, always f*cking broken. He’s old now and fat and lazy. The only reason he’s coming back is because he’s broke as f*ck. So what is there to fear? That’s it — nothing.”

In the end, Lobov wants the fight, and he’s said his BKFC main event with Jason Knight this weekend is a preview for it. What he wants most is simply to feel his knuckles on Malignaggi’s jaw:

“He’s just one of those whiners that you’d just love to punch in the face,” Lobov said. “It’s gonna feel so good to feel my bare knuckles on his jaw.”