Both fighters are trying to fight for redemption. Also, both have completely different styles. Pavlik has trouble against boxers ( Hopkins, Sergio) and Dirrell fits a boxer with skills to a tee. I see Direll winning a close UD.
Different kind of redemption though. Dirrell is a very athletic guy who has very good abilities but he got lost on the way. Pavlik is a whole different story: alcohol problem, rehab... Plus he got beaten very soundly by Hopkins and Martinez. He took punishment in these fights. He said he was back on track but when I read about his training regimen I felt concerned for the guy. Pavlik would get beaten soundly against Dirrell at SMW. Wouldn't even be close IMO.
Don't think he has a fight lined up but he was back in training since I remember training pics of him on twitter.
I'll try to find it again. He was actually training seriously. But he was running a few miles everyday and the time he was doing was nothing like a world-class athlete.
Reserving judgment on whether Pavlik is still Pavlik until after he savages Lopez, but assuming he's still Pavlik he stops Dirrell late.
Interesting. Don't think Dirrell can take the heat? A couple of Dirrell fights I've seen it seems like he's gotten pretty winded late (granted, seemed like he came up with 2nd winds later).
Based on what? Dirrell fights nothing like Hopkins, nor Martinez. If anything, Pavlik bears more similarity to the two guys that Dirrell really struggled with (in that all three are primarily punchers whose best work is done with the straight right). Pavlik at his best is better than Abraham, and about on par with Froch.
Honestly, I kinda see this the exact opposite, assming we're talking Pavlik at what we know he can do if he's in fighting shape. He throws a lot of punches with a lot of power and can keep going for 12. He uses his height well and has a mean jab. If Pavlik fights to his ability, and that is the big caveat here, I think he stops Direll late. Pavlik isn't Abraham. He will throw, and he will land. I like Pavlik w/in the distance on this one, around round 10 or so, but that's assuming he can come back like he was.