Winky Wright vs Kelly Pavlik

I'm not gonna say that I agree with Pavlik's comments when he said he was going to "smack Winky around," not because I don't think it would be true, but just because I think it's disrespectful, but I don't know the whole story, so I'll leave it at that.

Anyway, about the fight.

In an article posted earlier on this site I'm not going to dig up, (it's on this site and your welcome to research it if necessary), Bernard Hopkins said that Pavlik would likely KO Winky Wright.

I agree with his assessment.

While Winky has great defense, he's lost a step in his footwork which will make him a relatively stationary target. This does not bode well against a man who isn't terribly fast, but has thudding power in both hands.

Winky will have some early success using his high guard, but eventually those punches will add up and inevitably some will get through, and generally in the case of most of Pavlik's opponents, that is the beggining of the end.

What usually starts his opponents downfall though are hard and thudding bodyshots. While Winky's abnormally long upperarms will block a lot of these shots, his sides will get hammered because it's doubtful that Kelly will be detered by Winky's power, especially as the fight goes past the 5th round.

Pavlik had somewhat of a hard time landing bodyshots on Taylor in the second fight, but that's because Taylor was utilizing his legs, staying in the middle of the ring, and because Pavlik respected his power.

For a guy like Wright who doesn't move much and prefers to use his arms and gloves as his defense, he will get pummeled with shots, whether they're deflected off his arms or gloves, they will still add up and break Winky down.

Some will say that Winky pushed Taylor back against the ropes and took his punches, so why couldn't he take Pavlik's? Well, while I think Taylor is an athletic prodigy, he neglected to throw very many bodyshots at all that would have certainly turned the fight in his favor and allowed him, the BIGGER MAN, to push Winky back in the corner and possibly finish him off.

Taylor didn't use movement, angles, or bodyshots in his fight, and the result of it was a fight that could have gone to Winky Wright. Pavlik doesn't have the athleticism that Taylor has, but he is more relaxed in the ring, has powerful hard hitting, thudding hands, and varies his attack, throwing a lot of shots for the duration of the fight.

Winky at this point in his career is made for Kelly Pavlik. He's a stationary target with little power. Kelly won't have to worry about being knocked out, and he won't have to chase Winky because he'll be right there to hit. He won't get tired because he's relaxed and he routinely throws so many punches in a fight.

Winky is a tough kid and I think he'll last a long time. But eventually, in the later rounds, Winky will get broken down and stopped. I think there is a reason that Winky was a no show on Friday Night Fights. I think he realizes how difficult a fight Pavlik will be and he doesn't want any part of him. No appearence in the public means no public questions.

Will this fight happen, I don't know, but if it does, look for Winky to be stopped for the first time in his career.

VOTE

 

He got a draw against Taylor.

 

How is this a bad styles matchup?

You lost me on this one.

A bad styles matchup for Pavlik is a guy that can box circles around him. Winky ain't gonna do that. He doesn't have the legs for that. The Bernard that beat Trinidad and De La Hoya would be a bad style match up for him.

Mundine would be a bad style matchup for Pavlik, as would Calzaghe because all of those guys I mentioned move well around the ring.

Even Kessler would have a good chance at beating Pavlik because of his movement.

However, Wright doesn't have power, so he ain't gonna be able to bullrush Pavlik, and he doesn't use his legs, so he's gonna get hit.

I think Pavlik is a bad styles matchup for Winky, not the other way around.