Kelly Pavlik – Heir Apparent Or Over hyped Fighter?

By Boxing News - 09/16/2008 - Comments

pavlik67241.jpgBy Adam Laiolo: To gain the mantle of ‘the next big thing’, the one who will dominant once older or established champions have been beaten, retired or both, you have to make a significant dent in this champions division and be stalking him for one last great throw of the dice, that last bite of glory, bowing out on a high note with pride and reputation intact. This very rarely happens, that last temptation of glory or even a last paycheck to sail off into retirement has got the better of a plethora of former champions and legends of old. Whatever the reasons for this final swansong, it doesn’t, and shouldn’t, damage any reputation of previous glories or conquests.

The champion should, after years of grinding and battling their way to the top, be able to then sit on their throne and choose who and when to fight next, if at all.

The challenger, just has to deal with this, harsh as it may be in some circumstances. Having beaten fighters below them to get that shot at the champion. Which brings me to Kelly Pavlik, currently undisputed middleweight champion of the world and seriously hot property in the world of boxing. But for what reason is he so highly rated compared to a seasoned and vastly experienced fighter such as Joe Calzaghe? Is it his record? 33-0 (29 KO’s) is a highly respectable record but you’ve only got to look at the names of fighters he’s fought to realize this is merely pulling the wool over someone’s eyes. Edison Miranda was a good scalp, but he proved to be a tough customer for Pavlik and definitely caused him more than a few problems.

Jermain Taylor, also a good scalp, has beaten Future Hall Of Famer Bernard Hopkins twice, ending his 10 year tenure as champion in two very controversial decisions, but other than that, he’s had lame showings against Winky Wright and Cory Spinks, laboring to split decision wins and we would not even be here discussing Pavlik – Calzaghe had Taylor had the ruthlessness to finish Pavlik off. Gary Lockett, a stable mate of Pavlik’s target and obsession Joe Calzaghe, has not even made a name for himself in his home country, never mind taking on the undisputed champion of his division. Talk about cherry picking. Many American writers believe, Lockett ran back to Newbridge, Wales and told Enzo Calzaghe to stay well away from Pavlik. I’ve never heard such rubbish. Beating a fighter in your division whose own countrymen would struggle to pick him in a police lineup isn’t exactly going to shake Calzaghe to the bone.

What then is the reason Pavlik has gone from pretender to the heir apparent in so few fights? Fights that can hardly be classed as groundbreaking. Pavlik has sent shockwaves through America for one reason – he’s white. What makes you think Calzaghe is scared of Pavlik? His Power?

Calzaghe faced harder punchers than Pavlik and beaten them resoundingly. His Skills? Which skills are these? Because of all the Kelly Pavlik fights I’ve seen he’s been pretty standard, punching in straight lines, just waiting for that big right. Calzaghe has faced a plethora of fighters as plain and vanilla as Pavlik. His Chin? The fact that Jermain Taylor, Edison Miranda and Gary Lockett couldn’t knock him out doesn’t mean he’s a granite chin. I seem to remember Taylor landing a sweet one on Pavlik and him stumbling round the ring like he’s been out on the drinks all night. Hardly made of stone is he?

So where is this serious threat, as Michael Lieberman would have you believe, Pavlik would be too fast, strong and clever for Calzaghe and should be worshipped like the god he is. Never mind Jeff lacy, that was a one dimensional fighter from America who won’t recover from that beating.

Mikkel Kessler – a fine fighter technically, has speed, the chin and definitely the power to match Pavlik, without question. Americas dismissal of every fighter not from America is pretty naive. I don’t believe for a second Pavlik could handle Kessler.

But it’s a high risk low reward fight for Pavlik, so i think he’d dodge that one. I’ll tell you what Kelly Pavlik, i dare you to fight Calzaghe, in fact, i dare America to put their pride and joy into the ring with Calzaghe and i have no doubts about the result. All of those with their star spangle tinted glasses will see a Calzaghe master class in speed, skill, intelligence and endurance, the kind that Pavlik has never faced before.



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