Navarrete son defends bare knuckle crown

World bare knuckle champion Rolando Gabriel Dy defends his crown against two-time world boxing champion Paulie Malignagi Saturday night (early Sunday morning in Manila) at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.

Dy’s BKB Super welterweight titlebelt will be on the line and the son of former World Boxing Council super-featherweight king Rolando “The Bad Boy from Dadiangas” Navarrete insists that he’s got the advantage owing to his experience fighting the bare knuckle way.

To beat Malignagi, Dy said the key is to treat the bout as a street fight.

“I have to fight him like we are fighting in the streets,” said Dy, who arrived in England almost a week ago.

Dy also holds the edge in being the younger guy at 34. Malignagi, who is of Italian descent, is 45 years old and fought in the pros over 40 times.

He has also fought six times in bare knuckle, winning five times, including four by knockout, and losing once.

“Bare knuckle is a different game,” said Dy, brushing off the belief by boxers that they are superior because of their stand-up style of fighting.

Malignagi’s plus points are his vast boxing experience, superb skill set and solid chin while his minus are his age and lack of bare knuckle experience.

Dy boasts of savage power, youth and experience fighting in bare knuckle competitions with the banger attributing his hitting prowess to the genes passed by his estranged father.