Hopkins vs Pavlik-Does Hopkins have a legitimate chance of beating Pavlik?

Hopkins has a good chance if the referee does a crappy job. Hops will probably start well and then fade down the stretch but I have a feeling Pavlik is going to have to overcome some vicious headbutts and arm bars in this one, and if the referee lets him get away with that crap, he might just be able to bust Kelly up enough to take a close decision.

 

Did you here what Pavlik said about BHop's tactics? He said, "I got elbows and a head too." I was kind of surprised by that!

 

I can't really answer this question. If this were a prime Hopkins then I think the answer is self evident - how could Hopkins lose? Pavlik is a disciplined, conventional fighter. In a very basic sense I would ask you to review Hopkins vs Trinidad for Hopkins ability to handle pressure by being unconventional and multi-dimensional, but he's not the same guy that he used to be and it's not clear to me whether or not he can effectively handle that pressure. He's a tricky ******* and I have a ton of respect for him, but I don't know how much he has left. Couple that with me being an Ohio resident and you have a shaky prediction of a Pavlik victory - but yes, he has a legitimate chance.

 

That actually surpised me as well. I hope the fight does not turn into an ugly affair. If it is fought cleanly I think Kelly has just too much constant effective pressure for Nard to keep up. In a foul fest I think I give the edge to Hops tho as he has much more experience fighting dirty. He has cleverly gotten away with it for years.

 

If he got gased with slapper like Calzaghe, what chances for surviving till final bell he has with the Ghost ?

 

According to my brother, Jack Loew has a colorful background and may have learned more from his 'family' than Bhop ever learned in prison. On a side note my brother tells me he won the Youngstown Toughman Competition one year against a guy he told my brother was 3 times his size. Jack is kind of short, but this is probably an exaggeration. He told my brother he kept beating on the guy but he just wouldn't go down.

 

yes,pavlik is one dimentional&quiet predictable so its conceivable hopkins can sneak out a decision.

 

Yep 34-0 with 30 KO's is quite a predictable output.

 

i meant in the ring once hes hit his stride,im pickin pavlik but hopkins is a sneaky old *******.

 

pavlik is no were as adaptable or skillfull as calzaghe so i cannot see pavlik causing as much problems as calzaghe did. Pavlik is not as good as calzaghe inside to -where is were hopkins is a master of.

bhop by decision or SD

 

Hopkins will win a tight, boring,dirty, and hard fought decision. Hopkins will take Pavlik out of his comfort zone. He going to force Pavlik to win with his b or even c plan and I don't think that will get the job done. I'm really pulling for Pavlik and hope that if he wins he gets credit for it. But I just don't think he's adaptable enough to win this one. Hopkins by split decision.

 

I'll just put it like this. I really don't think Pavlik should've taken this fight. I have a real bad feeling about this fight.

 

Bogart and Casablanca were the greatest couldn't beat an avatar with both. As far as Hopkins gassing I got to totally agree with you, he's going to do it. I just think, come the later rounds, he 's going to hold and wrestle a few of those rounds from Pavlik. I see Hopkins grabbing an early lead with counterpunching and smarts. Then when he tires he'll grapple and bend enough rules to have Pavlik going crazy in there. Maybe I'm selling Pavlik short on having more than one or two dimensions but I cant help thinking once Hopkins forces him to go to his backup plan he's in big trouble.Close fight that Hopkins squeeks by and if it does go to a 10 round limit, which is unlikely, than I like Hopkins even more.