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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVictor Ortiz vs. Paulie Malignaggi Set for BKB 62<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Victor Ortiz and Paulie Malignaggi are finally getting a date in the ring together. The gloves, however, aren\u2019t 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. <\/p>\n The fight is scheduled for five rounds at super welterweight inside BKB\u2019s three-sided Trigon. Tickets were scheduled to go on sale October 12 through the promotion\u2019s website. The event brings BKB back to Los Angeles for the second-to-last stop on its 2026 calendar.<\/p>\n 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 \u201cMagic Man\u201d has a destination and a warning for Ortiz. <\/p>\n \u201cMyself and Victor was a fight that was constantly talked about, about 20 years ago, 15 years ago,\u201d Malignaggi said. \u201cWe were both world champions around the same time, we were among the big names in professional boxing.\u201d His message for fight night was shorter: \u201cBe ready, Vic. December 5th, I\u2019m coming to your hometown, and I\u2019m taking you out.\u201d So much for easing into the promotion. Ortiz kept his response focused on the assignment. <\/p>\n \u201cPaulie is a former world champion with a lot of experience, but this is bare knuckle boxing and I\u2019m coming in prepared to fight,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n Malignaggi\u2019s 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.<\/p>\nVictor Ortiz vs. Paulie Malignaggi in BKB<\/h2>\n