By Dan Ambrose: Former WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (38-2, 33 KO’s) will be back in the ring tonight for one of his now rare bouts when he faces Scott Sigmon (22-3, 12 KO’s) in what is supposed to be an easy tune-up fight for Pavlik at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pavlik has the opportunity to face former IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute in his next bout if he gets past Sigmon. Bute’s promoter is interested in making the match with Pavlik and will be at his fight tonight to watch him perform against Sigmon.

Pavlik also has the chance to fight Adonis Stevenson in an IBF super middleweight eliminator bout to determine a mandatory challenger for IBF champion Carl Froch. This is also an appealing match, because it would guarantee Pavlik a quick title shot against Froch.

It’s likely that Pavlik says no to both the Bute and Stevenson fights. His promoter Bob Arum will probably keep Pavlik in house fighting WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. some time next year. Until that fight is made, Pavlik will likely continue to fight C level opposition so that he doesn’t get beaten again. Pavlik is a good fighter, but he simply doesn’t match up well with any of the top super middleweights right now. He’s been off cutting weight and trying to make a go of it in the weak middleweight division.

If Pavlik can get fights against 160 pound champions Chavez Jr., Daniel Geale or Felix Sturm, he’d have a decent chance of winning those fights. But at super middleweight, Pavlik’s only chance of winning a title would be if he were to face WBO champion Robert Stieglitz. Froch and Ward would beat Pavlik.