Camp Pavlik

Monday afternoon’s hour-long session at the Southside Boxing Club on Erie Street kicked off a succession of five-day-a-week workouts leading up to the Feb. 16 middleweight rematch against Jermain Taylor in Las Vegas.
Under the watchful eye of trainer Jack Loew, the WBC/WBO champion went through a light but aggressive regimen that ended a period of celebration and deserved recognition following Pavlik’s Sept. 29 knockout of Taylor in Atlantic City.
“We’re not changing too much, only starting earlier this time,” Pavlik said of the scheduled eight-week preparation period that will be a week- or a week-and-a-half longer than the training camp leading up to Pavlik-Taylor I.
“I don’t see too much of a difference,” Pavlik said. “He’s going to come fight the same way and I’m going to fight the same way I did. I think we’re going to pick up on some of his mistakes — even more than we did last fight. Another thing is how he’s going to be neurologically, following a knockout like that. So I don’t know if he’s going to be able to take the same punch that he used to, but I know he’s going to come to fight.”

 

Because Pavlik-Taylor II will be at 166 pounds, Pavlik (31-0) believes he's got the edge.

"We can kind of lift a little more and do things like that so we don't have to kill ourselves to make 160," Pavlik said of the higher limit this time around that will enable Pavlik to maximize conditioning without sacrificing strength.

"For me, it's good because it gives me confidence going in. I'm bigger than Taylor so it's harder for me to make 160. I'm going to be stronger than Taylor. I definitely think I'm going to benefit more than he is."

Not having to make the lower weight will help the fighters' energy level, too.

"When you sit there and go 30 some hours without eating and you're in a sauna and you run three miles a day to make the weight, it takes everything out of you. It drains you."

If anything is different about training, it'll be the amount of film study on the once-beaten opponent.

Pavlik questioned Taylor's decision for a rematch.

"I think it was a dumb mistake," Pavlik said. "I think they're regretting taking the fight at 166. For whatever reason, he wanted it. His excuse [for losing] was he had a hard time making 160. Fighting me in a non-title bout, he gets the short end of the percentage. I don't know what it was, but I think he made a mistake by doing it."

 

Recent posts say KP is getting cocky. These are his most recent quotes to the media, show me where? I don't see it. Good bye for ever, JT. KP = KO rd7.

 

In order for Taylor to win, he needs to become a textbook boxer. He needs to keep both his hands up near his eyes, and elbows in. He needs to work off the jab, throwing straighter punches. He needs to manage the ring, circling to his left, staying away from the right hand. Taylor is naturally more athletic and faster than KP, but his style doesn't allow him to use his abilities. He has shown that when he connects cleanly, he can do some damage. I don't know what type of roadwork program he has implemented, but obviously he needs to strengthen it to increase his stamina. Taylor has used his current style for the past 10 years, so I see it being very difficult to change something that has become second nature to him. I don't see him being able to do it. This is why I see KP KOing him again.