By Allan Fox: Kelly Pavlik (37-2, 32 KO’s) is in a very important fight on Saturday night against Aaron Jaco (15-2, 5 KO’s) in a 10 round bout at the Illusions Theater, in San Antonio, Texas. Although it may seem like a real nothing fight to a lot of boxing fans, it’s a crucial fight for the 29-year-old Pavlik because he can no longer afford to lose at this point in his career.

Pavlik has lost two out of his last five fights and hasn’t looked really good since 2009. Due to one reason another, Pavlik’s performances in the ring have really slipped a notch. He was beaten soundly by Sergio Martinez in losing his WBC and WBO middleweight titles in April 2010, and then he struggled in defeating fringe contender Alfono Lopez a year later in a close 10 round majority decision win last May. Pavlik won the fight but looked poor, like the same fighter that was easily beaten by 43-year-old Bernard Hopkins in 2008. Pavlik hasn’t fought since the Lopez fight it’ll have been nearly a year since he last fought when he steps into the ring on Saturday night against 35-year-old Jaco, who also knows a thing a or two about ring rust because he has fought only once in the past six years. As you can see Pavlik’s Top Rank promoters aren’t taking any chances with him getting beaten. They picked a ring rusty fighter in Jaco, who hasn’t seen much action lately and who has an inflated record.

Pavlik will be staying busy for the remainder of 2012 and could fight three more times before the end of the year. Arum would like to match him up against WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. if Pavlik and Chavez Jr. can both keep wining. With the poor opposition that Arum is likely to keep matching him up again, it’s doubtful that he’ll lose to the fodder that Arum is putting him in with.