Following the fighter’s startling outburst, the NHS hospital that treated an American bare-knuckle boxer who expressed dissatisfaction with the standard of care he received has responded.
Following his victory over Tyler Goodjohn at a bare-knuckle contest in Leeds in October 2025, Paulie Malignaggi, 45, claimed that NHS employees “wouldn’t be allowed to work on farm animals” in the US.
Malignaggi needed several facial sutures after breaking his hands and ribs, but he claimed that he had infections as a result of his medical care.
Malignaggi stated on The Ariel Helwani Show, “The cuts [I suffered] would have been just a regular stitch job in a regular hospital in the United States.”However, there are NHS employees in the UK who would likely not even be permitted to work on farm animals in the United States. In these facilities, they let them to operate on people. I spent the entire night in the hospital. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that up until a few weeks ago, one of the cuts [on my left eyebrow] was continuously infected and pussing out.
A US bare-knuckle boxer’s objections about his medical care have been addressed by an NHS hospital.
“It’s closed right now, but I expect cuts to open up in a bare-knuckle fight, but I expect it to open up in the fight.”
“Absolutely incompetent [staff], who kept me in the waiting area without wiping the blood that was streaming down my face.” The hospital is mostly vacant, and I can hear them chatting in the adjacent room.
In response, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust expressed regret to Mr. Malignaggi and emphasised that they prioritise patients according to their clinical needs.
“We’re sorry Mr. Malignaggi had to wait in our Emergency Department to be treated following his bare-knuckle fight,” a representative for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust stated. “We do prioritise patients based on clinical need, to ensure that the most critically ill patients are treated first.” We would be pleased to talk further about Mr. Malignaggi’s issue if he would like to get in touch with us.
In a social media post to followers shortly after his victory, Malignaggi bemoaned the long wait he had to suffer in the hospital.
Although the hospital “prioritises patients based on clinical need,” Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust apologised to Mr. Malignaggi and said, “I’m fine.” Leeds General Hospital is still where I am. By the way, this is absurd. How it operates in the UK is unknown to me. I haven’t been sewn up yet. I arrived here around 10:00, and it is now 4:30 in the morning. Guys, I still haven’t been stitched up. I was X-rayed, but I didn’t receive the results on my hands. I had a CAT scan, and because of all the kidney punches, I have damaged ribs in my back. My left lower rib was broken by the child. I still have too much fog in my eyes. It’s too hazy for them to determine the full amount of the damage when they use the really powerful light.
Mr. Malignaggi also disclosed that an eyepoke he received during the fight caused him to temporarily lose his vision, although he says he is “pretty close” to regaining full vision.
This weekend, the American will travel to the UK for his next bout, a superwelterweight bare-knuckle boxing match against Rolando Dy.
