Official Taylor Vs Pavlik Poll (New Pavlik Training Vid Old School Style!Pg 14!)

Pavlik TKO 6th round.

Taylor is too weak, has been hurt by weaker opponents. Winky, Hopkins, and Ouma all showed little respect at times and came back with respect. I expect the same from a bigger stronger Kelly Pavlik, in a surprise TKO knockout.

It won't be that much of a surprise to anyone who follows Pavlik. It will be to those who have only seen him fight once or twice.

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Originally Posted by zupg

It won't be that much of a surprise to anyone who follows Pavlik. It will be to those who have only seen him fight once or twice.

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They have like five of his fights on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HchCpnORAqk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRThO...elated&search= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHQMA...elated&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twidZp1ePUk

Associated Press - July 13, 2007 8:25 PM ET

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - Jermain Taylor and Youngstown native Kelly Pavlik are close to a deal to put their undefeated records on the line in a fight for Taylor's middleweight championship.

A person close to the negotiations says today that nothing has been signed, but HBO and Harrah's Entertainment have been told the fight will happen. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.

The fight is expected to take place Sept. 29 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Taylor, of Little Rock, beat Bernard Hopkins in 2005 to win the middleweight title. He's 27 & oh with one draw.

Pavlik is 31 & oh.

If Pavlik wins, a rematch would be at the super middleweight level, since Taylor's team is concerned lately about his ability to slim down to the 160-pound middleweight limit.

ESPN.com news services

Updated: July 13, 2007, 6:27 PM ET

LITTLE ROCK -- Jermain Taylor and Kelly Pavlik are close to a deal to put their undefeated records on the line in a fight for Taylor's middleweight championship.

Cameron Dunkin, Pavlik's co-manager, said the contract he is reviewing says that the fight will take place at 160 pounds, according to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. There had been reports that the fight might be somewhere the middleweight limit of 160 pounds and the super middleweight limit of 168 pounds because Taylor is having trouble making weight.

"We want to fight for the title. That's the whole point of the fight," Dunkin said. "It's got to happen at 160. It takes a lot away if it's not for the middleweight championship."

A person close to the negotiations said Friday that nothing has been signed yet -- but that HBO and Harrah's Entertainment have been told the fight will happen, according to The Associated Press. The fight is expected to take place in Atlantic City, N.J, on Sept. 29.

The AP reported that if Pavlik (31-0) wins, a rematch would take place at the super middleweight level. However, Dunkin told Rafael that there is a stipulation in Taylor's rematch clause that says if he loses and picks up his option for a rematch with Pavlik, it would take place at a maximum of 166 pounds -- making it a non-title bout.

"That's fine with us," Dunkin said. "We can do a rematch and Kelly's title won't be at stake? Great. Whatever they want to do. We just want this fight."

Taylor, of Little Rock, beat Bernard Hopkins in 2005 to win the middleweight title. He then beat Hopkins in a rematch and escaped with a draw against Winky Wright. He then outpointed Kassim Ouma and Cory Spinks, two fighters up from the junior middleweight ranks.

Taylor (27-0-1) drew criticism for fighting the two smaller opponents, but there should be fewer complaints about his next foe. Pavlik, of Youngstown, Ohio, fought on the Taylor-Spinks undercard in May in Memphis, Tenn. He stopped Edison Miranda in an action-packed seven-round bout that in many ways upstaged Taylor's split decision over Spinks.

Pavlik and Miranda combined to throw 191 punches in the first round. Pavlik's promoter, Bob Arum, compared the fight to great middleweight bouts of the 1980s.

Pavlik said that night he wanted to fight Taylor next, and Taylor said he was willing. Now it appears the fight will happen in Taylor's middleweight swan song.

Taylor moving up after Pavlik fight. By SC
Posted on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 03:06:30 PM EDT

I am really starting to question Jermain Taylor. According to his coach and co-trainer, Ozell Nelson, the current middleweight champ will move to super middleweight following his fight with Kelly Pavlik, as making weight is proving an issue and has for some time, reportedly.

Taylor's promoter, Lou DiBella, is prepared to approach Top Rank's Bob Arum with a proposal for the same money if the fight with Pavlik can be contested at a catch-weight between 160 and 168 pounds.

However, Jack Loew, who trains Pavlik, is standing firm. He says Pavlik has "no intention" of leaving the middleweight division without a title.

Good for Loew. Good for Pavlik. And hopefully Bob Arum sticks to the guns, too. The September 29th fight in Atlantic City is rather hotly anticipated; people want to see this fight. People want to see Jermain Taylor either prove he's the middleweight champ for the first time in three fights, or see Kelly Pavlik prove that he's not.

To be a skeptic, it sounds like Jermain Taylor is preparing an excuse here. I don't know that Taylor thinks he can beat Pavlik. If you judge by his fights against Kassim Ouma and Cory Spinks -- natural 154-pounders that he either couldn't put away or couldn't catch -- then I don't think he can. We'd need to see the Jermain Taylor that showed up to both Hopkins fights, and that might be wishful thinking.

I don't, however, doubt that making weight at 160 is a legitimate issue for Taylor. But to announce an intended move to 168 before a major title fight at 160 is a little odd.

To look at it in a positive light, Taylor should fare well at 168 and be in the mix with Calzaghe and Kessler for top spot rights in the division. Calzaghe's busy bee style could give Taylor fits, and Kessler might just be too strong for him. But Taylor is an amazing athlete that doesn't seem to have reached his full potential as a boxer, but part of that really could be that he's no longer comfortable at the weight.

But on the very surface of it all, I think Pavlik, Loew and Arum would be doing the right thing to refuse a catchweight. Pavlik earned his shot at Taylor's middleweight title.

Ranking the Middleweights: July 2007
By SC
Posted on Sat Jul 14, 2007 at 02:31:55 AM EDT

Heavyweights (04/20/07) :: Junior Welterweights (07/12/07)


No. 1: It's still a toss-up between Winky and Jermain.
1. Winky Wright (51-3-1)
Too good of a record, too many great wins. He fought tooth-and-nail with the younger, stronger Taylor last year. If only we could get a rematch. Wright says his fight with Hopkins will be his only appearance at 175, after which he will return to 160. Wright is probably even a weight class high at middleweight, but he's so tremendously intelligent and defensively superior that he should be able to handle just about anything he takes on. He's my pick, but I don't really think you can go wrong picking either of the top two.

2. Jermain Taylor (27-0-1)
I've given him the same guff as everyone else about fighting Ouma and Spinks, but to be fair, those are two good fighters, even if I personally hate watching Spinks ply his trade. Just considering those two fights, it's easy to write off the fact that he fought and beat Bernard Hopkins twice and went to a draw with Winky after that, and was willing to fight Wright again. He's going to fight Pavlik and then move up to 168. I do find the timing of the announcement to be interesting, to say the least, but he's going to do what's right and give Pavlik the shot he earned. Pavlik is a true middleweight that will someday re-join Taylor a division up. It should be a good fight, if Taylor making weight isn't too much of an issue.

3. Kelly Pavlik (31-0)
Some might believe Pavlik still has a little something to prove, but Edison Miranda getting stomped by "The Ghost" didn't make Miranda a worse fighter. It just proved that Kelly Pavlik was a lot better. He's beaten a few other fairly tough guys on his way up; he wasn't totally coddled. He's got power, boxing skill, and seems to have a gameplan. His straight right is among the best in the business. He will push Taylor to his limits in September.

4. Arthur Abraham (23-0)
He's good, and he's got balls for days. Plus, he came back from the brutal win over Edison Miranda to knock out previously unbeaten Sebastien Demers in the third round. King Arthur has several very good wins, and no one has beaten him. A rematch with Miranda might not make the most conventional sense, but it would be damn fun to see. He will fight Khoren Gevor (27-2) in August.

5. Felix Sturm (28-2)
Sturm is the WBA world champion, and his only career losses are a TKO to Javier Castillejo and the highly questionable decision against Oscar. He avenged the Castillejo loss, and hasn't taken an utterly awful opponent in a long time. The guy can box. I wish he'd get a chance to fight some of the top Americans, but it's not likely. He's a big fish in a decent-sized pond, and his lone trip to the States probably didn't leave him with a favorable impression of what foreigners get credit for from the judges over here.

6. Edison Miranda (28-2)
So he lost to Pavlik. It happens. He had a bad gameplan, got caught off guard, and his defensive lapses were even more dramatic than usual. It was just an out-and-out bad night for Miranda. But he's still got lethal power and a lot of heart, proven as he kept trying to stay in the fight against Pavlik. Really, there are referees that would have called it after the first knockdown. He just needs to work on the defensive side of things, because he's already got the offensive abilities of a world champion.

7. Roman Karmazin (35-2-1)
Good fighter. Probably already peaked with his win over Ouma at 154.

8. Kassim Ouma (25-3-1)
Ouma is one of the easiest guys in boxing to root for, and his only fight at 160 can be considered a pretty fair success despite losing to Taylor. He was undersized against Taylor and had almost no chance of hurting him. But he also never appeared to be seriously rocked by Taylor, despite the champ getting in some good shots. He is better suited for 154, but should do just fine at middleweight. Here's hoping that he beats the pampered Sergio Mora out of pretend contention in September.

9. Javier Castillejo (61-7)
Has fought Sturm twice, Vargas, Karmazin, de la Hoya, and a lot of other good fighters. Castillejo is a tough opponent for anyone just because of his ring savvy. But at 39, it's tough to figure on him having a lot more left in the tank.

10. Sebastien Sylvester (26-2)
Has a loss to Amin Asikainen and one in his pro debut in 2002. Other than that, solid gold. Still, I wouldn't favor him over any of the other nine.

Other Guys:

John Duddy (20-0) is a rising star, but he's been heavily protected, and his undefeated mark is more a reflection of that than anything. His Irish homecoming is another case in point, as he fights Alessio Furlan.

English-born Irishman Andy Lee could someday be a factor in the division. Rafael noted the same thing I was thinking about: Someday, a Lee/Duddy matchup could be huge. Give it a few years.

38-year old Raymond Joval can still go at a respectable level, but he's past his chance to ever be a real contender. Sergio Mora avoiding him to fight Kassim Ouma was a good choice for Mora, though.

26-year old Dominican Giovanni Lorenzo (24-0, 16 KO) has still fought mostly bums, but he has some real skills.

Amin Asikainen's only loss was to Sylvester in a rematch, but other than his win over Sylvester, there's not a whole lot to get excited about on his record.

Taylor says meaner self will be waiting for a Pavlik fight
Associated Press

Updated: June 25, 2007, 12:35 AM ET
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LITTLE ROCK -- For Jermain Taylor, the niceties end now.

Taylor, the middleweight champion of the world since 2005, said after hearing criticism from fans in his home state of Arkansas and elsewhere, he will abandon some of his politeness for critics and those facing him in the ring.

"It's over. Those days are over," Taylor told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in an interview published Sunday. "I can't be nice to them anymore, and don't think I'm going to forget a single person that said something. I'm human."

Taylor, of Little Rock, outpointed Kassim Ouma in December, and his split decision against Cory Spinks was even less decisive, causing some fans to dismiss the win. After hearing the criticism, Taylor (27-0-1) said he wants to unleash this new, harsh side on Kelly Pavlik, who battered Edison Miranda during the undercard fight at Taylor's last match.

"I feel bad for him. I mean, I feel bad, because he does not know who he's getting in the ring with," Taylor said. "If he comes at me, I'm going to take it to him, I'm going to give it all to him."

Taylor said he wants Pavlik (31-0) at his next fight, which HBO tentatively has scheduled for Sept. 29.

"That's the fight the people want," Taylor said. "So if that's what they want, you know I'm going to give it to them. I'm never going to back down from anyone. This guy is nothing, and I'm going to expose him. And then what? After I beat him, then what? Because I'm going to beat him, and I'm going to beat him bad. Especially if he comes to fight.

"In the amateurs, I punished him, no problem whatsoever. He has gotten a little better, a little older, a little more mature, but that don't mean nothing. If he comes to fight, and comes to fight hard, his heart isn't big enough."

Taylor also dismissed criticism of his postfight interview on HBO, when he told an interviewer he'd only fight Pavlik "if the money's right." Taylor said that's just part of the business.

"That part right there, I didn't give a damn about," Taylor said. "What, did you expect me to fight him for free? This is how I feed my family. Do you go to work for free? No, you do not. Yes, I will fight this boy, but make sure they get the money right. That's what should have been said."

Taylor is starting sound like Miranda a little more each day, I think Pavlik is really going to surprise a lot of people in Sept!

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Originally Posted by Punching Princess

Jermain Taylor will outbox Kelly with ease. I know that many people are down on Jermain right now due to the fact he fights guys smaller then him. He put on a terrible performance against Corey Spinks who by the way can make anyone look bad.

Jermain is a guy who fights at the level of his opponent. They stink he stinks. They are at their best he is at his best. One day that will come back to bite him in the rear end but Kelly Pavlik is not that guy.

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Yeah like Judah. Come on. Talyor did'nt fake punches to draw him to commit. Taylor just looks sloppy.So Taylor will suddenly gain punching power and grow a chin like Pavlik to adjust to him . Taylor lets him self be pressed. To me his perfect record has two losses.I think Kelly Pavlik is the guy to do this. If Taylor finds him self on the ropesd he will be one the canvass. He has never faced a guy who can swat, and Pavlik is the heaviest hitter in the division. And he has a chin which is a rare combo.

This is one of the tougher fights to call for me. I like both fighters and think this will be a war of a fight. Jermaine won't have to try and look good chasing Pavlik around because Kelly will be right in front of him all night. Love him or hate him, Kelly will bring that fight to Taylor, and Taylor will have no option but to go to the trenches with him. I like Taylor's slickness and speed over Pavlik, but he will have to use those qualities all night with a good, solid pressure fighter like Pavlik. Kelly did show a very good chin with Miranda, better than I thought he had, so Taylor will have to have his A-game on. I don't think Jermaine can win an inside slug-fest, but he will use his experience going against better fighters for sure, and I think Jermaine may very well shine that night. I still don't expect him to blow out Kelly, but possibly win in a tight UD. If it doesn't go to the score cards, I will take Pavlik by brutal k.o. in the 8th. I'm not saying Pavlik is the greatest thing since ice cream, just that with the last 2 disappointing fights from Taylor, this will be Taylor's toughest fight to get back that respect from alot of fans; and I think he wants that. He"ll need it that night, as Pavlik is a smart fighter and hungry for that belt, especially with so many people that have doubted him. He not only beat Miranda, who most said would put Pavlik out, he put a clinic on that guy, so Jemaine is in for a long night of it. Fight of the Year IMO; hopefully. Actually, Margarito/Williams might be FOY, can't wait for tonight.

To me, It just seems that Pavlik is the more hungrier fighter.... So I'm thinking it will be a great fight while it last with Pavlik winning by Ko or Tko.

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Originally Posted by Just a Boxing Fan

Taylor moving up after Pavlik fight. By SC
Posted on Tue Jul 10, 2007 at 03:06:30 PM EDT

I am really starting to question Jermain Taylor. According to his coach and co-trainer, Ozell Nelson, the current middleweight champ will move to super middleweight following his fight with Kelly Pavlik, as making weight is proving an issue and has for some time, reportedly.

Taylor's promoter, Lou DiBella, is prepared to approach Top Rank's Bob Arum with a proposal for the same money if the fight with Pavlik can be contested at a catch-weight between 160 and 168 pounds.

However, Jack Loew, who trains Pavlik, is standing firm. He says Pavlik has "no intention" of leaving the middleweight division without a title.

Good for Loew. Good for Pavlik. And hopefully Bob Arum sticks to the guns, too. The September 29th fight in Atlantic City is rather hotly anticipated; people want to see this fight. People want to see Jermain Taylor either prove he's the middleweight champ for the first time in three fights, or see Kelly Pavlik prove that he's not.

To be a skeptic, it sounds like Jermain Taylor is preparing an excuse here. I don't know that Taylor thinks he can beat Pavlik. If you judge by his fights against Kassim Ouma and Cory Spinks -- natural 154-pounders that he either couldn't put away or couldn't catch -- then I don't think he can. We'd need to see the Jermain Taylor that showed up to both Hopkins fights, and that might be wishful thinking.

I don't, however, doubt that making weight at 160 is a legitimate issue for Taylor. But to announce an intended move to 168 before a major title fight at 160 is a little odd.

To look at it in a positive light, Taylor should fare well at 168 and be in the mix with Calzaghe and Kessler for top spot rights in the division. Calzaghe's busy bee style could give Taylor fits, and Kessler might just be too strong for him. But Taylor is an amazing athlete that doesn't seem to have reached his full potential as a boxer, but part of that really could be that he's no longer comfortable at the weight.

But on the very surface of it all, I think Pavlik, Loew and Arum would be doing the right thing to refuse a catchweight. Pavlik earned his shot at Taylor's middleweight title.

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To me it looks like a perfect hiding stragey for Taylor. Frickin unbeliveable.

Fight 100% signed and done deal and the fight will be in Atlantic City on September 29th.”