While i can clearly see pavlik winning this (although i pick taylor), one thing i can´t in my wildest dreams is imagine that pavlik is gonna win "easy", meaning just blowing taylor out. personally, i think you have to be an unknowlageable boxingfan or a stupid nuthugger to say stuff like "pavliks gonna walk all over this guy, no sweat" and all the other **** alot of guys have been talking. so if you are indeed of this opinion, please register here so its easier taking the **** out of you if either: 1) taylor wins this 2) pavlik wins, but in a brutal war! so please....sign up:deal
My breakdown: It will be competitive unless Taylor comes out firing looking for the early KO. In which case, Pavlik will take him out. Taylor will not win a toe-to-toe slugfest. If Taylor gets on his bicycle and tries to outjab Pavlik from the outside he can score some points. However, let's not forget that Taylor tires easily, especially down the home stretch. Taylor fans are claiming that his handspeed and nifty footwork will win the fight for him, but he can only keep that going for so long. He's going to hit the wall of exhaustion if he keeps doing that. By round 6 you will see him slow down, pushing out his mouthgaurd and breathing heavily. Everyone knows that Taylor likes to fight in spurts. He likes to take little breaks. This will be a problem against Pavlik because "the Ghost" doesn't let you breathe. His pressure is constant and it overwhelms the opponent. For a man of Taylor's size he's shockingly easy to back up. Hopkins, Wright, even little Kassim Ouma had the bigger man backpedaling often. I have no doubt that if this fight goes into the championship rounds Pavlik will stop Taylor due to Pavlik's relentless pressure, power, and Taylor's fatigue. Up until then this bout looks to be highly competitive. Maybe a classic if Taylor comes to fight and not run and hold.
I have been saying for a month now that Pavlik will do the following: Dominate Taylor... Hurt Taylor... and then... STOP Taylor Pavlik by TKO, round 9
I feel the SAME way, and having been saying this since the outset, as well. To those who suggest that it is somehow "unknowledgeable" to say this, I would call their attention to the MANY fights that were expected to be lengthy battles of attrition, but turned out to be early-rounds blowouts. This, I strongly believe, will be one of those fights. Taylor doesn't take a great shot - which is why an old Hopkins rocked him, and then DiBella started putting him in with smaller fighters who didn't hit hard even in the lower divisions. This HAS to raise some eyebrows among those who have followed the sport for any length of time. It sure did mine. Pavlik KO 5 - or EARLIER!! :nod
