It wouldn't be a "rubber match." Rubber matches are only possible if it's a trilogy and both fighters have won one fight. Pavlik beat him both times, so even if Taylor beat him in a third fight he'd still be down 2 wins to 1.
Pavlik via a slightly more boring fight than the last one. Doesn't make a lot of sense now though with JT at SMW and in the big tourney, and KP having no need whatsoever to make this fight happen.
I'd favor Pavlik but it certainly possible that Taylor could catch Kelly like in the first fight & finsih him this time. I'd say 65% Pavlik 35% Taylor for a 3rd fight.
I'd still take Pavlik in this fight. Until Talyor gets his stamina right - he'll continue to fade down the stretch. Manny Steward said - Taylor doesn't like to do road work. He'd rather run on a treadmill in his hotel room - rather than actually running outside. It's this type of mind set that will continue to hurt him. On top of that - he stopped using his jab every since the first B-Hop fight. Up until this time - he had one of the best jabs I've ever seen.
I agree with DiBella; "these guys could fight ten times, and it would be exciting everytime." However, styles make fights, and Pavlik just has Taylor's number. He knocked him out at MW and scored a clear UD at SMW. Another fight would just be more of the same.
Now that they are on a level playing field after both have had a piece of their soul stolen by Bernard Hopkins, Taylor's chances definitely improve.
Before Taylor got knocked out again vs Froch I would have given him a decent chance at beating Pavlik in a third fight, The second fight was close, I had it a draw after 10 rounds, but Pavlik won the last two and pulled it out. But I honestly believe that he was just starting to recover from the Pavlik KO loss when he got KO'd again by Froch, and I doubt he's going to be able to shake off the effects of two brutal KO losses now. I think we're going to see a very cautious, almost shellshocked Jermain Taylor from now on. He's going to be haunted by thos eknockouts.
