Quote Originally Posted by CFH View Post
If Pavlik fights Rubio or Duddy instead of Abraham, Calzaghe, or Winky, than I'm going to have a real problem with him. His fanboys are already pissing me off, and if he begins a Calzaghe-like string of pointless title defenses I hope he gets treated with the derision he'll deserve.
I hear what your saying, but you also have to realize Pavlik has real potential to bring a mainstream audience to his fights. The first white American champion in eons is very signifigant, like it or not. I also have no doubt that Pavlik isn't afraid to fight the most dangerous opponents out there, hell he's already proven that... But when you think about it from a promotional standpoint, if he loses to Calzaghe or Winky now, it's right back to the drawing board with nothing to have furthered the sport. Not only that, but it seems his popularity is increasing with each outing, even with the soft touch Lockett. On one hand it's kind of a shame since Winky and Calzaghe are both way up there in years, and if they don't fight Pavlik soon it may never happen. But at the same time, I understand Pavliks handlers trying to build up his profile in the mainstream, and brutal TKO's will do that for casual fans, regardless of the opponent. You have to consider that for most of the people who made the trip from Youngstown to Atlantic city, or even many tuning in at home, there's little to seperate Gary Lockett and Joe Calzaghe. Neither are really well known in the US, though Calzaghe's profile is probably a bit higher for having beat Hopkins, even then it hardly made him a star.