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Last night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, WBC/WBO Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik outworked former titlist Jermain Taylor over twelve rounds to win a non-title rematch at 164 lb.
Although Taylor fought a far smarter fight this time, he simply wasn’t active enough to win over the judges and dropped a 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 unanimous decision.
As in the initial match last September, Pavlik again was the aggressor but Taylor used good footwork and largely maintained favorable distance that allowed him to box the champion rather than the slugfests of the first fight.
As Taylor presented a more difficult target, Pavlik was cautious as he came forward and ate a good many jabs and counters from the deposed titlist. When Pavlik did come in behind the jab and throw combinations, he was at times as effective as in the masterful first fight but with Taylor keeping his composure and scoring with hard counters, “The Ghost” didn’t take the same chances.
Taylor again was very accurate with his shots but in order to have enough gas in the tank for twelve rounds, threw only about half as many punches as the busier, taller Pavlik and that, more than anything else, won Pavlik the rematch.
Pavlik moves to 33-0 (29) but will likely have a little less luster going forward than after the first bout with Taylor. Although defeated, Taylor, 27-2-1 (17), made a good account of himself and has likely regained his standing as one of the top middleweights in the world.
The undercard was full of good fights. WBO Super Flyweight Champ Fernando Montiel, 36-2-1 (27), bashed up former WBA titlist Martin Castillo, 33-3 (17), dropping “El Gallo” once before finishing him off at 1:56 of the fourth.
Castillo didn’t have the punch to keep Montiel off and the champion just walked through the leather, rarely missing the jaw of Castillo with big left hooks. When Montiel began mixing in lefts to the body as well, Castillo couldn’t handle the punishment and although it appeared he could have beaten the count in the fourth, the challenger chose to be declared KO’d.
In a very close fight between southpaws, WBC Super Flyweight titlist Cristian Mijares, 34-3-2 (14), was victorious with a split decision win over Jose Navarro, 26-4 (12).
The champion mounted yet another superb boxing performance to retain the WBC crown for the fourth time via scores of 117-111, 115-113 while Navarro took one of the cards 120-108, winning every round.
Ex-WBC Light Flyweight boss Brian Viloria, 21-2 (12), outpointed Cesar Lopez, 20-6 (4), over eight rounds, light middleweight prospect Ronald Hearns, 18-0 (14), knocked out Juan Astorga, 12-2-1 (7), in the eighth and final frame of their contest, super feather Miguel Angel Garcia, 11-0 (9), stopped Jorge Ruiz, 5-4-1 (0), in the fifth, light middleweight contender Sergio Gabriel Martinez, 42-1-1 (22), outpointed David Toribo, 14-11 (8), over four and super middle prospect Daniel Jacobs, 3-0 (3), stopped Alexander Volkov, 0-1-1 (0), in the second.
