By Adam Laiolo: Hype is cruel, no doubt about that. It can build you up, unjustified, to the point where your bark becomes worse than your bite. And the fall from grace seems a lot higher when you’ve been hyped up for so long. Some people deal with it, don’t let it affect them in anyway. Others either believe it, or crumble under it. Believing your own hype is a dangerous move, especially when you should be able to be honest with yourself first and foremost.
Kelly Pavlik is just this. I’m not going to rant and rave about how poor Pavlik is, that’s not right, I’ve just got a few things to point to our American friends over the pond who sometimes live in a mental state bordering on delusional. Just why Kelly Pavlik has gone from nobody to THE best in the world in no time at all is down to one thing, American hype. The sheer size of the media can out do any other country. Let’s look at the facts. Record: 34-0 (30 KO’s) is an outstanding record with no blemishes and a high knockout rate, not bettered by many at this time. A quick scan down Pavlik’s undefeated record shows only two fighters of any kind of class, Edison Miranda and Jermain Taylor.
First Taylor fight, Pavlik was rocked everywhere and nearly went good night in the second round. Only poor finishing from Jermain Taylor let Pavlik get back into it. And we’ve all now discovered what an average fighter Taylor really was now, so even that takes the shine off it. Granted Miranda is a good fighter too, but again, this guy couldn’t finish off someone with a broken jaw. So that leaves Gary Lockett, I wouldn’t know him if I fell over him and because he’s Calzaghe’s stable mate for some strange reason America believes Calzaghe’s scared after seeing that. With all due respect to Lockett, he’s not even in the same class as top British fighters never mind someone like Joe Calzaghe.
Talk about cherry picking? So was Gary Lockett a credible opponent for a middleweight world champion? America is where the moneys at yes, but not where the talents at. Talent comes from all over the world, America can just market it and promote it the best. America moan about fighters from Europe staying in their own country and not coming out to face them. Sorry what? Sounds like double standards to me. Mikkel Kessler is an example of a fearless and proven fighter that no American fighter will touch, too high risk low reward. 50,000 people watched Kessler vs. Calzaghe at the Millennium Stadium. America hasn’t had a crowd like that in years. If it wasn’t for box office numbers America can produce, we’d be seeing fights from all over the world.
If they aren’t American, they aren’t proven – or so the theory goes. Look at the nationalities of the world champions, diverse isn’t it? And that’s exactly the reason Kelly Pavlik is being over hyped by America, America needs a white superstar to dominate a division and reignite an interest in a sport falling behind UFC and MMA. America needs Kelly Pavlik to succeed and dominate, so much so it blinds them to his obvious frailties with his chin and technical ability. Kelly needs Joe Calzaghe for that, but Joe needs Kelly to rid the doubters of their ammunition.
Maybe Joe will do what he’s always done, been the underdog with little or no respect and beating someone he’s expected to lose to. No doubt though if and when Pavlik is beaten by Joe, America will tell us all that’s not their best, he wasn’t that good and they were just testing us (Jeff Lacy anyone?). America needs a hero, we’ll see if Pavlik’s up to the test.
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