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Victor Ortiz vs. Paulie Malignaggi Set for BKB 62
Victor Ortiz and Paulie Malignaggi are finally getting a date in the ring together. The gloves, however, aren’t invited. The former boxing world champions will headline BKB 62 on Saturday, December 5, 2026, at The Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, taking their long-discussed matchup into bare-knuckle boxing.
The fight is scheduled for five rounds at super welterweight inside BKB’s three-sided Trigon. Tickets were scheduled to go on sale October 12 through the promotion’s website. The event brings BKB back to Los Angeles for the second-to-last stop on its 2026 calendar.
For Malignaggi, this booking revives a conversation that dates back to their days chasing and holding boxing titles. The pair never fought professionally with gloves, despite discussions about matching them during their careers. Now, the “Magic Man” has a destination and a warning for Ortiz.
Victor Ortiz vs. Paulie Malignaggi in BKB
“Myself and Victor was a fight that was constantly talked about, about 20 years ago, 15 years ago,” Malignaggi said. “We were both world champions around the same time, we were among the big names in professional boxing.” His message for fight night was shorter: “Be ready, Vic. December 5th, I’m coming to your hometown, and I’m taking you out.” So much for easing into the promotion. Ortiz kept his response focused on the assignment.
“Paulie is a former world champion with a lot of experience, but this is bare knuckle boxing and I’m coming in prepared to fight,” he said.
Ortiz enters with a 1-0 bare-knuckle record after beating Dominic Salcido by unanimous decision at BKB 56 in Los Angeles on July 18. He scored a knockdown during that debut, although his swollen left eye showed that winning without gloves still comes with a bill. In conventional boxing, Ortiz compiled a 33-7-3 record with 25 knockouts.
He won the WBC welterweight championship by defeating Andre Berto in April 2011, and his opponents included Floyd Mayweather Jr., Marcos Maidana and Robert Guerrero. Malignaggi arrives at 1-2 in bare-knuckle competition, following a second-round stoppage loss to Rolando Dy in a BKB super welterweight title challenge in Manchester in May. Ortiz therefore faces an opponent with more bare-knuckle appearances, but one coming off a defeat.
Malignaggi’s gloved boxing record was 36-8 with seven knockouts, rather than the 38-8 listed in the event announcement. He captured the IBF junior welterweight title in 2007 and the WBA welterweight belt in 2012. His opposition included Miguel Cotto, Amir Khan, Ricky Hatton, Adrien Broner, Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia.