The article is about the bronchitis and elbow issues (bursitis): http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/oct/22/bronchitis-bursitis-hurt-pavlik/ The most revealing part of the entire piece was this: This content is protected In other words, someone on high -- possibly, say, HBO -- wanted to get this 'damage control' information out there to help protect Pavlik's marketability. And at least some of Team Pavlik isn't happy about that. That's good to hear. They're not looking for excuses, it seems. If HBO are the ones pushing the excuses theme, we should know this weekend during their rebroadcast of the event. The article is thorough, going over punchstats of a previous Pavlik fight compared with this one, and talking about Team Pavlik's considering postponing the fight. Trainer Jack Loew and the rest of the camp give Hopkins his due, as they should. Check it out and let people know what you think in this thread.
I don't think it would have made a difference. But who knows maybe he did have it. You never know what is going on with someone's health going into a fight.
Pathetic excuse.....and if its out there, team Pavlik is almost sure to have planted the alibi! Team Pavlik is'nt happy that its circulating? Please dont insult our intelligence! Conditioning which comes hand in hand with bronchitis, was not the issue. Pavlik pursued Hopkins and provided steady pressure all the way through......the problem was Pavlik's inabilty to hit the target, Hopkins made sure that Pavlik paid everytime Pavlik tried to bring it! Please! In no way shape or form, did Pavlik look tired, exhausted, or out of breath. The video tape does not back up these bogus excuses!
Nothing in Pavlik's performance indicated illness. He was outsmarted in the ring and has admitted to this fact. He was not sick, he was outslicked.
I like Hopkins, but nah... let's get real for a second. "Nothing in Pavlik's performance......" I expected Hopkins to parry and lip most of Pavlik's punches, but the fact is that Pavlik didn;t throw. He looked like he would even have beaten a punching bag that night. In fact I think many rounds would have been scored a draw if he was in the ring with a punching bag... he was just not doing anything. Lacy tried and got beaten. Pavlik did nothing.. nothing... and (of course!) got beaten.
If you read the ****ing article, you'd see that Pavlik's camp isn't using it as an excuse, and they're saying Pavlik would have lost anyway, just that it contributed to his lackluster performance.
Kelly even said himself that he wasn't tired at any stage in the fight. I actually believe that they didn't plant the excuse. It seems more believeable that it really was HBO who "leaked" it. In a way, they have more to lose than Pavlik. The Pavlik camp were taking the stance that "it's only one loss, even the greats have losses" which is the right attitude to take.
Boxing Insider: Pavlik elbow injury won't hinder Hopkins bout by Joe Maxse Monday October 06, 2008, 7:19 AM Kelly Pavlik is one tough hombre. But even the middleweight champion had to let out a yelp when trainer Jack Loew put a synthetic sleeve on the fighter's left elbow. After clanging elbows against sparring partner Byron Mitchell 10 days ago, Pavlik has been dealing with the injury that could require an injection. He was still able to go through a workout last week, but he did take a few days off from sparring. There is concern from Team Pavlik as the fighter's Oct. 18 date against Bernard Hopkins in Atlantic City, N.J., closes in, but the bout is not in jeopardy, according to Loew. "No, not at all," Loew said. "It's a bruise and there is nothing you can do." Pavlik was able to throw all his punches during the workout and it did not appear to affect his jab. He called the injury "bothersome."
