Rolando Dy retained the BKB Super Welterweight World Championship on Saturday night, stopping former two-division boxing world champion Paulie Malignaggi by second-round TKO in the trigon ring at AO Arena in Manchester. The 154-pound title fight headlined BKB 54: Mayhem in Manchester.

Malignaggi, 45, entered the contest looking to capture a bare-knuckle world title in what was his second BKB appearance and third overall bare-knuckle bout. Dy, the reigning champion, came in as the heavier-handed and more experienced bare-knuckle fighter and delivered on a pre-fight prediction of a stoppage.

How the Fight Played Out

The opening round was a feeling-out frame. Malignaggi worked behind his footwork and combinations, leaning on the boxing IQ that defined his career at 140 and 147 pounds. Dy pressed forward, cut the distance, and looked for power shots on the inside. The round was competitive, but Dy set the pace.

The end came early in the second round. Dy landed a clean right hand in the middle of an exchange that put Malignaggi on the canvas. The Brooklyn native beat the count at around eight and got back to his feet, but Dy swarmed immediately. A second right hand near the ropes dropped Malignaggi again. Visibly hurt and bleeding, he was in no condition to continue, and the referee waved the fight off.

Malignaggi’s Bare-Knuckle Record

The defeat moves Malignaggi to 1-2 in bare-knuckle competition. His debut came in 2019, when he lost a unanimous decision to Artem Lobov under the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship banner.

He returned to the format in October 2025 at BKB 47 in Leeds, taking a split decision over Tyler Goodjohn across five rounds. That bout, in which Malignaggi fought through an eye injury and swollen hands, earned Fight of the Night honors. Malignaggi signed a multi-fight deal with BKB following the Goodjohn victory and had identified a world title as his stated objective in the promotion.

Dy Holds the Belt

Dy, who brings a mixed combat sports background to bare-knuckle competition, retained his BKB Super Welterweight World Championship with the win. He had publicly predicted a stoppage in the lead-up to the fight, citing his power and pressure as advantages he expected to exploit at the no-gloves distance.

The card was broadcast from AO Arena, a regular host venue for BKB events in the United Kingdom.