Welcome back Kelly Pavlik

[Rantcatrat]

[quote=PRIDE OF BOSTON;831226]

You have to wonder if Hopkins just laid out the blueprint on how to beat the guy for everyone to see, or if Kelly i sjust feeling like that. I think Jermain Taylor gave him a good run in the rematch and had JT not been so damaged from the battles with Hopkins and the previous KO I could assure you he would have beaten Pavlik. JT just faded out quick, and sometimes that happens to "The man that follows the man".

I think the major issues for Kelly are: he's not fighting often enough, he's in a deadzone in Youngstown, he's gotten thoroughly schooled, and Paul Williams and Sergio Martinez are VERY dangerous fighters right now both could not only beat Pavlik but knock him out, and I think another issue is there's no where for Kelly to run, he's looked like shit above 160...I mean bad enough to the point where you could see a mediocre fighter at 168 totally school him and if that doesn't get fixed 2010 could be Kelly Pavlik's LAST year of boxing especially if he takes another loss as bad or worse than the Hopkins loss.

The guy has ONE loss on his record and it was to an ATG at 10 pounds above his natural weight class. Don't make too much of that loss. As you mentioned many times, Pavlik had a piss poor 2009. Compare his 2009 coming off the loss to Hopkins and Cotto's 2009 coming off his loss to Margarito. It is night and day. Cotto fought Clottey and Pacquiao. Pavlik fought Espino and Rubio. Pavlik needs to bounce back with a big win over an established opponent. We already know Pavlik is better than any B or C level fighter. No more Rubios or Espinos. That is why I asked you, Lyle, who can Pavlik beat to reestablish himself as one of the sport's best. Williams? Sturm? Martinez?

It isn't much, but the only thing Pavlik can take away from the Hopkins loss is that he never went down. He may have taken a beating but he had the heart to stand and deal with it for twelve rounds. That shows big-time chin and big-time heart. The difference with the Hopkins/Pavlik and the Lacy/Calzaghe fight/beat down was that Lacy was fighting at his natural weight, mentally Pavlik can chalk up his loss to being outside his natural element at 170 against a great.

I dont think Paul or Martiniz hit as hard as Hopkins. Also Hopkins outboxed Pavlik at 170 and he atg as well. Paul and Martiniz are 154 pounds who dont even have same boxing skill as Hopkins. Also I can easly see Martiniz getting pushed around by Pavlik by his size and power. Then theres Paul who is there to be hit and which while lead to him getting knocked out. Pavlik is far from prefect but i dont see the jr middle weights giving him trouble to be honest.

I agree with most of this post. However, I like Martinez's boxing skills. I'm not saying he is Hopkins, but he looked good against Williams...at 160. [On a side note, I think Williams negotiated to have the fight at 160 because in my opinion, he knew Martinez may be too much at 154 or at least he wanted every advantage possible.] I can see Martinez giving Pavlik trouble at 160 because Martinez can move and Pavlik will need to catch him to hurt him. Before the Martinez fight, I leaned toward Williams against Pavlik, and I may now too, the difference now only is that I know that if Martinez can hurt Williams, Pavlik can definitely hurt him.