Hopkins vs Pavlik

I loved Hopkins stare into press row at all the writers who doubted him.

 

BHop threw some of the most beautiful combinations in that fight. Really wish BHop would of pushed for the TKO more in the 11th and 12th.

 

B-drop one of the borienst fighters ever

 

I remember when that fight was announced. My grandpa (rip) was in failing health, so I would mow his lawn every week to help out. I was taking summer classes for college while also working full time.

I read online before going to his house that the fight with Pavlik and Hopkins had been made and I thought about it for the whole 3 hours I spent behind my grandpa's push-mower. I was a fan of both guys and I had mixed feelings. I was baffled that Arum had made such a horrible pick in opponent for one of his golden geese.

Yes, Hopkins had gassed badly (worse than people tend to remember) against China Hand Joe previously, but Joe and Pavlik were two different types of pressure fighters, sort of like Manny Pacquiao and Juan Diaz both applied pressure differently. Joe tired Hopkins out because his pressure came from a variety of angles and elaborate, intelligent footwork and a head that was always weaving or hidden to one side. Pavlik applied pressure that was backed up by concussive power, but on the downside Kelly didn't have particularly fast hands or feet, and he was much less imaginative at cutting off the ring than Joe. Hopkins could fight a 1,000 rounds in a row against a guy like Kelly and not get winded.

I won't say I predicted the mugging that unfolded that night. I envisioned something more like the Howard Eastman fight, or maybe the trilogy fight with Robert Allen. Mostly I pictured Hopkins using very sparing offense, avoiding the corners/ropes, and throwing lots of sharp right hands down the middle with his chin tucked before either clinching or sliding out of the way. I would have tabbed Bernard by something like 116-112 with Pavlik emerging baffled but largely unscathed apart from some minor bruises and maybe a cut from a headbutt.

Again, I was a fan of both, so I felt bad for Kelly. But I was mostly happy for Bernard. At the time it felt like this win topped even his conquests against Trinidad and Tarver. But little did I know that Pavlik was really much closer to the end that Hopkins was, as shocking as that idea would have seemed. In 2012 Pavlik was retired after a series of labored, ragged rebound wins, while Hopkins would still be breaking his own records for several more years.

The fact that Pavlik never really recovered, and that he fell victim to injuries and his own inability to cope with success mars this win slightly. If Pavlik had regrouped and enjoyed the IBHOF career he'd seemed destined for, this would be the clear crown jewel in Bernard's resume.

 

had it as dead even going into it, thought it could go either way and pavliks power was still considered unstoppable. But after about 1 minute into the fight i knew it was a mistake for pavlik to take the fight. hate hopkins. and he utterly destroyed poor kelly, ruined his career.

 

As I said in my previous post, I was baffled by this bit of match making from Bob Arum, who was usually smart about keeping his important fighters away from poisonous style match ups.

The middleweight division was above average in strength at the time, and Pavlik was already growing into a big enough star that pretty much any credible challenger could be built into a big fight. I can't remember exactly how the division stacked up at that exact moment, but I do remember praying for a fight between Pavlik and Arthur Abraham. That would have been electric: Pavlik was the legit champ and a star on the rise, but Abraham was stealing souls (ask Khoren Gevor or Wayne Elcock) and was the clear #1 contender.

Meanwhile, Felix Sturm still had credibility from his robbery loss to Oscar DLH and had beaten a number of good fighters, with his only hiccups being a shock loss to Javier Castellejo and a draw against Randy Griffin, both decisvely avenged. Sturm, with his credible resume and good looks (no homo) would have been an easy B-side to sell, and a fairly interesting stylist foil for Pavlik, who would have found himself dealing with a sharp puncher with an elite jab and peek a boo style.

I remember Paul Williams loomed as a threat, although I think he was still at 147 or 154 at the time. Still would have been a reasonable fight for Pavlik. Another reasonable fight would have been Anthony Mundine, who was performing with uncharacteristic consistency in his fights at that point. That's if Mundine could be lured from Australia to take the fight. Matt Macklin was on the rise, although not at his peak and I think Geale was rising through the ranks as well.

My point is that Pavlik wasn't hurting for good opponents at 160, which is what makes the pick of Hopkins such a weird one. I remember Bob remarked at length on the financial disapointment that the Pavlik vs. Lockett fight had been. I guess he though a PPV bout with Hopkins was a sensible rebound. But Pavlik vs. Lockett had been a woeful mismatch and the fans were smart enough to see that in advance.

 

oh without a doubt. its not like hopkis is evil for being a better boxer. i think the loss had a lot to do with it simply because kelly couldnt take it emotionally. i dont know the guy and its pretty much impossible to get an honest picture of someones character from the media...but it def seemed like he had some issues that derailed him. he would've been a tuff matchup for a lot of people that came after him (a time when he should've still been fighting)

 

I took my son to this fight.
I thought Pavlik would win it. Hopkins won it by stepping through with the right hand followed by a short smothering hook then tieing up Pavlik all night if memory serves me correct. Pavlik had no answer for it.
I remember working on the move with my son back and forth trying to work it out. He would step with the rt hand like a shift then hook and smother.

 

I'm a big Hopkins fan and even I have to agree that he was very borienst. But thank you for not saying he was boring like all his detractors do.