First of all I'd like to say that without a doubt Kelly Pavlik has a true heart, second time he suffered serious damage and never stopped trying. The guy became the MW champion when few believed him and despite having the fight wider, 116-110, you could never count Kelly out. Props to him! What's with the scores? I didn't get the HBO feed, but I had Martinez winning most of the first few rounds, then Pavlik was able to do some damage in the middle inlc. the KD, but Maravilla took over once more, I actually gave him the HUGE 9th 10-8. No way it was 115-112 close, but hey, Martinez is no Oscar or Winky giving away the championship rounds and took the title the way boxers should! Kelly Pavlik did a fine job early on the defensive, used his height well, but with the jab neutralized, he just hoped to catch Martinez with something. I said back then, I say it now: bring in Emanuel Steward! And as for Martinez, it's gonna be Maravilla-Williams 2, but for me it seems MW is NOT his division, he was so much faster and powerful at 154, no real reason to have the 2nd fight here. All in all, good little boxing night, damn Bute made Miranda pay for his Cambell tactics. Learn something from Maravilla, the UNDISPUTED MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD! :happy As for Kelly Pavlik, do not count him out. Bad style match-up and possible weight-drain, that's not the last you've seen of him! :thumbsup
I thought the HBO announce team were trying to set up a robbery. Listening to them was pissing me off. Thank God martinez got this win... Great fight, great win for him.
In Lampleys mind it was a 120-107 shutout for Pavlik, they seriously need to be more impartial, it was embarassing at times.
Agreed. Anywhere for 115-112 to 116-110 was in line. It was a pretty easy fight to score round by round. Keith
Looking for the HBO feed myself, heard it was pretty horrible. :thumbsup I gave Pavlik 3 rounds but could've been 2 with one even, Martinez so effectively outmaneuvered Kelly in the 1st half and after some good Pavlik moments he put on a serious beating in the 2nd, I have no idea which 4 rounds the judges gave Kelly.
Judges cards don't concern me as long as they get the right winner. A guy can see it close or wide, as long as he has it for the right man, i'm happy with that.
I had Pav only winning 2 or 3 rounds. And the previous poster was right, the announcers were setting up a Pavlik robbery
The HBO commentators were definately pro Pavlik. When Martinez was boxing Pavlik's ears off in the first 4 rounds, their compliments were minimal and reserved. However when Pavlik picked things up in the middle rounds, they (Manny Steward in particular) were all over his nuts, and downplaying Martinez's combinations as weak, and lacking power behind them. Also whilst Harold Lederman was in awe of Martinez's ring generalship, Larry Merchant instead regarded it as running. So yeah, I too thought they were watching a different fight
Didn't the 119-109 card for Williams in the Martinez fight bother you, even a little? It was horrible.
