Kelly Pavlik: "Kelly Pavlik is still one of the biggest names in boxing"

http://espn.go.com/sports/boxing/blog/_/name/boxing/id/6831447/pavlik-takes-control-better-worse

 

Berto was one of HBO's darlings (as was Pavlik when he got a couple of million for fighting on a poorly performing ppv). Pavlik needs to readjust himself to his new position on the pecking order. In 2008 he was middleweight champion and about 10,000 fans travelled to Atlantic city to see him fight, and HBO was happy to throw money at him because they thought he was a future ppv superstar. Now he's rebuilding after momentum killing losses, on the smaller Showtime channel, on their modestly budgeted Showbox program, and apparently had only sold about 1000 tickets in his hometown. Win the gimme for 50 grand, a million plus for fighting Bute isn't bad. If he wins that he's a champion again, knocked off a highly rated and unbeaten fighter on a big stage, then he could name his price again. The guy's either completely delusional or can't be bothered anymore because of his alcohol problems and was looking for an excuse to drop out.