Bright lights, title haven't changed Pavlik

Bright lights, title haven't changed Pavlik

By David Kolb/Maxboxing.com
December 12, 2007

In midtown Manhattan for the first time since he relieved Jermain Taylor of his middleweight titles, Kelly Pavlik walked into B.B. King’s Blues Club near Times Square the same way he would walk around Youngstown, Ohio.

Faded jeans, plain white sneakers and a worn out black leather jacket.

(He was wearing a $700.00 Affliction Shredded Leather Jacket. Just like your average guy in Youngstown.)

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That was his attire for his coming out party, accompanied of course with scruff, probably two or three days old, covering his face.

In New York to make official his February 16 non-title rematch with Taylor, Pavlik looked very pedestrian-like as he entered the 42nd street Blues Club. In fact, with video cameras surrounding him, a non-boxing fan would probably scratch his head wondering why this kid is getting such face time.

The first question: How has your life changed since beating Taylor?

“Hasn’t,” mutters the champ.

Later, Pavlik’s trainer Jack Loew would tell me, “With Kelly, what you see is what you get. There have been no major purchases.”

Pavlik will face Taylor this time around at a contracted 166 pounds in what will be a non-title fight. What this means for Pavlik is, if he loses, he doesn’t lose his middleweight titles, making this a fight for pride.

Top Rank is already planning Pavlik’s next fight, which should come at the end of June in Cleveland Browns Stadium, Pavlik’s backyard.

“The Browns have already reached out to us. They want to be a part of this,” said Top Rank’s Bob Arum.

As far as who Pavlik may fight, Irishman John Duddy is still the frontrunner; however, if that falls through, IBF titlist Arthur Abraham is waiting in the wings for his shot at Pavlik’s middleweight titles.

Arum said, “We really want to face the best middleweights out there. And then in 2009 we’d like to move him up to super middleweight and tangle with guys like (Joe) Calzaghe and (Mikkel) Kessler and guys like that.”

A wild card may turn up however, as Bernard Hopkins has recently shown interest in fighting Pavlik at around 168.

“Bernard reached out and we would be more than happy to accommodate Bernard, but it has to be at a weight Kelly can deal with, like 168. Bernard can’t get lower than that,” said Arum.

But he cautioned that Pavlik will stay middleweight for the time being, so Duddy and Abraham are the clear frontrunners for the late June championship bout.

“We are staying at middleweight now. Hopkins would be the later part of the year or early the next year,” said Top Rank’s boss.

My conversation with Arum quickly turned to Top Rank’s #1 fighter in the stable, Miguel Cotto, who is more than ready for the biggest and the best fights available to him, after defeating Shane Mosley last month at MSG.

Arum said, “The preliminary plans for Cotto are…I want him to fight in March, unless a fight was available for De La Hoya or Floyd Mayweather. We’ll know about De La Hoya in the next ten days. De La Hoya will let us know if it’s something he is interested in. He is now in Puerto Rico with his family and is thinking things through.”

If the big boys don’t agree to fight Cotto, what may, and probably will, happen is Cotto will fight in March against a highly ranked welterweight, a Kermit Cintron or a Joshua Clottey and then will fight Antonio Margarito at Madison Square Garden on the Puerto Rican Day Parade eve, which is already reserved by Top Rank.

The problem for Top Rank is finding a venue for the March bout.

“So many buildings in the east are booked. MSG, Atlantic City, all booked. We might be able to do it in Puerto Rico however,” said Arum.

As far as last Saturday night’s fight is concerned, Arum said, “Like I said before the bout, it was a no contest, and that’s not a knock on Mayweather; he did what he had to do, but Ricky Hatton didn’t belong in the ring with any welterweight, no less a Floyd Mayweather.”

I then said, “I guess a Cotto-Hatton bout is out.”

Arum quickly responded, “I wouldn’t be very proud to put the fight on. I mean could you imagine how Cotto would destroy Hatton? Hatton is limited. At least at junior welterweight he would have a shot, but at welterweight he has no shot.”

Arum then hinted that Ricardo Torres would be defending his 140 pound title on the Pavlik-Taylor card, and that he expects another title fight on the card as well, which will be Fernando Montiel-Jose Navarro.

Pavlik, who does not plan to move from Youngstown anytime soon, expects his fans to make their way to Las Vegas in droves much like they did to Atlantic City back in September.

“I’ll be well represented in Vegas,” said the champ with a smile.

Incidentally, Jermain Taylor did not show up for this presser because his wife gave birth to a baby girl named Laila Jayden, the day before.

Taylor did chime in by phone however, and said, “He (Pavlik) fought a great fight and I have all the respect in the world for him, but he did take something of mine. I made a lot of mistakes in that fight. I'm not making any excuses, but I'll make up for it the next time.”

When Taylor enters the ring on February 16, he will be doing it without Emanuel Steward, who recently parted ways with Taylor. JT will now be trained by his amateur trainer Ozell Nelson, who actually trained Taylor to an amateur win over Pavlik.

Don’t expect the fight’s style to change much however, as both fighters have a fighting spirit and are never scared to go for the KO.

Obviously those that buy this HBO PPV bout hope it’s a repeat of the action filled bout that is a leading candidate for 2007 Fight of the Year.

“Its going to be fireworks once again,” said Pavlk.

Pavlik is thrilled to get back into camp after an exhausting few months of media requests and appearances that never seemed to end for the champ.

He did however partake in some activities in which he thoroughly enjoyed himself, including talking to Ohio State before the Michigan game, visiting with the Browns and speaking to the Indians just before the playoffs began.

Now it’s time for work.