Quote Originally Posted by Bilbo View Post
This isn't really a go at Pavlik, more to do with the current hate for the heavyweight division.

Yesterday Pavlik lost arguably every single round against Bernard. He didn't even put up a fight, it was just total domination and Kelly seemed to have accepted his fate by about the third round.

But still people are supporting (as they should) and just saying he belongs at middleweight, he was too inexperienced, Hopkins was superb etc.

I don't disagree with any of this.

But contrast this with the heavyweight division. Tony Thompson for example who looked excellent on the way to his title shot with Wlad was crucified after losing that fight, especially over here by Steve Bunce for having no heart whatsoever, no pride, no fight etc.

Sam Peter was crucified again by Bunce for quitting and giving up and not being prepared to face Vitali.

Sultan Ibragimov was roundly condemned for his failure to make a dent on Wlad when they fought some months ago.

It seems to me however, that with the exception of Peter quitting (which to me was actually pretty sensible) none of these guys performed any worse than Kelly did this weekend.

So why are they all a disgrace to boxing for not going out on their shields yet Pavlik is brave for finishing the fight?

I'm not sure whether in the US the criticism of heavyweights is so strong but over here Steve Bunce wrote off Ibragimov, Peter and Thompson all as disgraces to boxing for their failed title efforts.

Just seems like a cheap double standard to me.

You are wrong, he did put up a fight, the only way he know how ot, just keep walking forward. I didn't really want ot say anything before because it would like like i'm taking something away from hopkins when i don;t want to, he done superb.

The thign is, Pavlik showed the difference between a good fighter and a great fighter. The one big thing, a great fighter can switch it up when they have to, they can adapt when shit aint going their way. Pavlik couldn't change, he still tried to fight. He still put up a fight, if he didn't it would not of gone 12 rounds, he just wasn't able to put up a good one.

What killed him was his jab. Everything he has done in a boxing ring has been all because of his jab, its what keeps his fighters away, its what breaks them down, it sets every single fuckign thing he does up. Right form the start when he tried to throw it hopkins being the cleaver old fox he is and knew all this long before we did took it away from him. The jab cam out, lacking world class speed hopkins smashed him with the overhand right, after a couple more trys pavlik quit using it and couldn't doa damn thing more. It still wasn't and easy fight tho, he is a still a tough cunt and never quit, it took all of hopkins exp and skill to do what he did. but with the jab gone pavlik was unarmed, fucked.