Does Anyone Else Think Kelly Pavlik Looked Stale ?

[ICB]

I just rewatched the fight for a 2nd time and Kelly Pavlik to me, didn't look like he had any fire in his belly. And he looked like he was fighting in slow motion, i know he isn't a quick fighter but he looked even slower than normal IMO.

I know Bernard Hopkins has alot to do with Kelly Pavlik looking like this, but even after the final bell rung and Bernard Hopkins and Kelly Pavlik fought after the bell. I see the killer instinct in Bernard Hopkins but i didn't see it in Kelly Pavlik, and i didn't see it all night.

Even in the corner he looked disheartned and almost half of sleep, it was like he was in awe of Bernard Hopkins even at the end of the fight. Whats your thoughts on this ?

[p4pking]

I think he probably was in awe of Hopkins, and Nard made sure of that by taking away his jab and making him pay for missing early. Don't really think it would've served him better to fight with more fire, so to speak. Pavlik knew he couldn't land his right when the jab never worked for him and Hopkins was timing him perfectly, just moved perfectly. Had he commited further to big shots he would've wound up off balance every time and hopkins just would've had all the more room to work and could've badly hurt him. Pretty much way to much ring craft for Pavlik at the stage he's at. Don't really think Pavlik looked all to much better against Taylor in the rematch to be honest, so he probably is much better suited at 160... But him getting owned was just a result of Hopkins having way to much for him, in every aspect.

[Deanrw]

Pav just got beat up last night. He was fully expecting Bernard to gas out and lay on the ropes and become easy pickings.

I'm not making excuses for him. He simply got beat and humbled. He now can either learn from this and make himself better, or he will get out smarted again.

He really needs to learn positioning and balance in there. The added weight probably did not help him either. Hopkins for the most part made him look lost last night.

Pavlik was forever playing catchup and trying to get set to throw punches. Did they even get him to spar against any movers? He had better start in the future because as they said, hopkins created the template on how to beat him.

[kingfrnk]

kelly did get skooled and spanked by hopkins, but the weight couldve had some effect kelly has never fought at 170 and bhop last 3 fights have been at LHW. but i take nothing away frm bhop although that was his weight and not kellys.

[Spicoli]

No....We detract from not only Hopkins but Pavlik as well .This happens so often after fight's of this magnitude.It was the biggest stage of Pav's still young career,against the most experienced and capable fighter he had ever faced. Nerves and such.Hopkins can have a physcological effect along with the physical factors.Kelly was fine.....he will be back in form.He was out thought and out fought,Simple as that.

[JT Rock]

I think Pavlik was smothering his own work and would have suited him better if he let Nard come to him, I know its not Kelly's nature and Hop was controlling the distance, but it seemed like Kelly could have taken a step back most times.

[holmcall]

As stale as warm beer

[The Fightfan]

Stale no. In awe no. Pure and simple Kelly Pavlik is not a light heavyweight. What happens to a man who is a puncher who moves up in weight to fight the naturally bigger man. Bob Foster moved up in weight and couldn't do a damn thing in the heavyweight's.The great Sugar Ray Robinson fought a mediocre Joey Maxim and lost he got tired from hitting the bigger man too much and had to quit. Kelly is a dominate middleweight and I totally disagree with what E-man and Lampley said about Abraham doing the same to Kelly. His next big fight should be against him and live on at middleweight until he's about 30 then move to the supermiddle's and lightheavies. Kelly got beat by a man who transformed before eyes in my opinion.Several month's back Bernard looked old and slow against Joe Calzaghe.This time he looked like the best he every has.

[JT Rock]

I Hate to be the one who brings this up I just hope Hop was clean and natural without any enhancements.. I like to believe he was just remarkable, but then again I thought the sam about Roger clemens being timeless and a gymrat who just had a great work ethic, and look what happened to him

[awdleyfuturehalloffamer]

Kelly pavlik lost because he didn't land punches. He didn't land punches because Hopkins was way faster than he was. If pavlik had any speed last night he would have landed punches. The speed of hopkins kept him off guard all night. and the power of hopkins only exascerbated the problem.

[leftylee]

Yes definitely he just didn't look like the Pavlik we all knew. The extra 10 ponds definitely affected Pavlik for the worse. Though take nothing away from Nard, he was a huge underdog and put on a classic showing. Now Pavlik should stay at middle and Nard target BCD.

[CGM]

He looked like a typical one dimensional fighter. He tried to mix it up and maybe brawl a bit in the 2nd part of the fight, but to no avail. Hopkins kind of surprised me, he really looked like he brought his A-Game, and like I said to the guy beside me at the bar showing the fight, Pavlik looked like he hadn't a clue what to do about it.

Of course, Pavlik has a diferent story to tell. Quoted from Yahoo sports...

"I just could not get off tonight," Pavlik said. "I don't know why? It was not his slickness. It just wasn't me out there tonight. I couldn't do anything I'm used to doing. We're going back to the drawing board. it just wasn't me tonight. I'll be more comfortable going back to 160."

Excuses, and denial . Naturally before teh fight he would have said he was ready to take Hopkins out.

[awdleyfuturehalloffamer]

Pavlik couldn't get nothing going because he was slow as a slug compared to hopkins.

[THE THIRD MAN]

Like a 3 day loaf!

[DaxxKahn]

Thats exactly what it was mate...he was star struck by Hopkins...The fact he was going through what he had only heard about or seen others go through...kind ofn had him in a "Can this really be happeneing to me" state....

Did not know what to do and it was effecting him mentally...he is not the first it has happened to throughout history and he will not be the last...

A lot of pressure he was under....He will be OK and suck up the loss come back better