An NHS hospital has responded to complaints from an American bare-knuckle boxer who criticised the quality of healthcare he received after a fight in Leeds. Paulie Malignaggi, 45, said NHS staff 'wouldn't be allowed to work on farm animals' in the United States following a lengthy wait for treatment after his victory over Tyler Goodjohn in October 2025.
Malignaggi broke his ribs and hands and required multiple stitches to his face, but later suffered infections. 'The cuts [I suffered] would have been just a regular stitch job in a regular hospital in the United States,' he said on The Ariel Helwani Show. 'But they have people in the UK that work in the NHS that in America, probably wouldn't even be allowed to work on farm animals. They let them work on human beings in these hospitals. I was in that hospital all night.'
He added: 'Basically, what I'm getting at is the complications from one of the cuts [on my left eyebrow] has been constantly infected and pussing out up until a few weeks ago. It is closed at the moment — I expect it to open up in the fight, but I expect cuts to open up in a bare-knuckle fight. Absolute inept [staff], who were keeping me in the waiting room, not cleaning the blood dripping down my face. I'm hearing them gossiping in the other room — the hospital is almost completely empty.'
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has apologised to Mr Malignaggi while stressing that they prioritise patients based on clinical need. A spokesperson said: 'We're sorry Mr Malignaggi had to wait in our Emergency Department to be treated following his bare-knuckle fight. We do prioritise patients based on clinical need, to ensure that the most critically ill patients are treated first. If Mr Malignaggi would like to contact us, we would be happy to discuss his complaint further.'
Shortly after his win, Malignaggi had complained about the lengthy wait time on social media. 'I'm fine. I'm still in Leeds General Hospital. This is crazy, by the way. I don't know how it works in the UK. I still have not been stitched up. It's 4:30 in the morning; I got here 10:00. Still have not been stitched up, guys. They X-rayed me, didn't give me the results on my hands. They gave me a CAT scan [and] I've got broken ribs in the back from all the kidney punches. The kid broke my ribs, my lower rib on the left side. And my eyes are too foggy still. When they put the really bright light, it's too foggy for them to tell the extent of the damage.'
Mr Malignaggi also revealed temporary vision loss from an eyepoke during the fight, but said his eyesight is 'pretty close' to returning to 100 per cent. He returns to the UK this weekend for his next fight against Rolando Dy in a superwelterweight bare-knuckle boxing match.
