What is with this site and Kelly Pavlik

[kingfrnk]

Sure he is a good fighter, with a solid punch, and an excellent workrate, but why is he the only guy who seems to be able to get any amount of hype, and still receive no criticism by fight fans, I don't get it. He isn't fast, he doesn't have a great chin, he's relatively easy to hit. He does have decent technique, but is it just the blue collar nature of boxing that makes him so appealing to so many of you? Is it because he is the "Great white hope"? I like him now, but I still don't find him particularly exciting because everything he does is ordinary. He has no flash, he doesn't have the timing Hagler did or the personality. I don't know how he earned all this love.

I also think there are guys around his weight category (Chad Dawson, Glen Johnson, Mikkel Kessler, Joe Calzaghe) who will school him, and even Bernard stands a good chance of beating Pavlik on Saturday night.

Two words come to mind: "results", "humility".

The guy's not a talker. He just beats whoever they put in front of him. Miranda was going to take his head off. He got KO'ed. Taylor was going to expose him. He got KO'ed. And he's humble, respectful, and grounded. With that he pretty much wins me over.

Bhop is talking big game to. could he end up like the others?

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

I'll make this easy for you, Taeth...

He is an undefeated champ in one of boxing's most storied divisions.
Taylor was supposed to be that but wasn't exciting... Pavlik filled the void that was Jermain Taylor with a young, tough, high work rate, exciting fighter...

Get's no criticism? How bout this... His handspeed is not exceptional... What other real criticism can you give him? He picks off shots with his gloves, is always on his toes, moves well, and friggin throws bombs...

It has nothing to do with Americans yerning for a hero... Most of my favorite fighters are not of this country... Katsidis, Gamboa, Gatti, Cotto, Morrales, Hatton and Tszyu are not of this country... I could care less about that. But Kelly has found himself as the centerpiece of American boxing right now and it's not a mistake. He knocks MuthaFu**ahs out! I don't know about you, Taeth, but I find that a little exciting...

[Dizaster]

Sure he is a good fighter, with a solid punch, and an excellent workrate, but why is he the only guy who seems to be able to get any amount of hype, and still receive no criticism by fight fans, I don't get it. He isn't fast, he doesn't have a great chin, he's relatively easy to hit. He does have decent technique, but is it just the blue collar nature of boxing that makes him so appealing to so many of you? Is it because he is the "Great white hope"? I like him now, but I still don't find him particularly exciting because everything he does is ordinary. He has no flash, he doesn't have the timing Hagler did or the personality. I don't know how he earned all this love.

I also think there are guys around his weight category (Chad Dawson, Glen Johnson, Mikkel Kessler, Joe Calzaghe) who will school him, and even Bernard stands a good chance of beating Pavlik on Saturday night.

I understand and get all these points. But i'm also a fan and get why their is appeal in him. Party because of the things you touched on, and a lot because of the points others make.. We're coming into an era where we need new heroes, and it's still early days for Pavlik, and i'm excited to see him fight, which is what generally ropes me in as a fan of any fighter... You want to take the journey with them and live every fight with them on that journey..

[rjj tszyu]

I'm not particuarly bothered what other people think but I like him and thats all that counts!

[kingfrnk]

I'll make this easy for you, Taeth...

He is an undefeated champ in one of boxing's most storied divisions.
Taylor was supposed to be that but wasn't exciting... Pavlik filled the void that was Jermain Taylor with a young, tough, high work rate, exciting fighter...

Get's no criticism? How bout this... His handspeed is not exceptional... What other real criticism can you give him? He picks off shots with his gloves, is always on his toes, moves well, and friggin throws bombs...

It has nothing to do with Americans yerning for a hero... Most of my favorite fighters are not of this country... Katsidis, Gamboa, Gatti, Cotto, Morrales, Hatton and Tszyu are not of this country... I could care less about that. But Kelly has found himself as the centerpiece of American boxing right now and it's not a mistake. He knocks MuthaFu**ahs out! I don't know about you, Taeth, but I find that a little exciting...

just one more day POB then hopefully kelly can silence eveybody about this "theres no body but miranda and taylor on his record" or "one deminsional" crap. if he kos bhop he has done wat nobody else has ever done which would be the greatest accomplishment of any boxer of 2008.

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

I'll make this easy for you, Taeth...

He is an undefeated champ in one of boxing's most storied divisions.
Taylor was supposed to be that but wasn't exciting... Pavlik filled the void that was Jermain Taylor with a young, tough, high work rate, exciting fighter...

Get's no criticism? How bout this... His handspeed is not exceptional... What other real criticism can you give him? He picks off shots with his gloves, is always on his toes, moves well, and friggin throws bombs...

It has nothing to do with Americans yerning for a hero... Most of my favorite fighters are not of this country... Katsidis, Gamboa, Gatti, Cotto, Morrales, Hatton and Tszyu are not of this country... I could care less about that. But Kelly has found himself as the centerpiece of American boxing right now and it's not a mistake. He knocks MuthaFu**ahs out! I don't know about you, Taeth, but I find that a little exciting...

just one more day POB then hopefully kelly can silence eveybody about this "theres no body but miranda and taylor on his record" or "one deminsional" crap. if he kos bhop he has done wat nobody else has ever done which would be the greatest accomplishment of any boxer of 2008.

A great thing I saw in the Countdown was him working with Jack in the ring and jack was attempting to hold and kelly as punching inside and spinning. There's gonna be a whole bunch of lateral movement with both fighters in this fight... The whole ring is gonna get a workout on Saturday. I'm getting really excited about this one.

[holmcall]

What did he do that Bernard didn't? KO Jermain Taylor?

I don't get how this type of fighter is exciting. He comes forward, he throws al ot of punches, but he doens't ahve that one punch type power that Julian Jackson or Thomas Hearns possessed, Hearns could box extremely well, and threw beautiful combinations. Julian could end a fight with any one punch. Same with Nigel Benn. They all had this fury to them that Pavlik doesn't ahve because, he's calm, but with this style its only really exciting if he can do amazing things ala Miguel Cotto, or if he has that inner fire ala Jackson, Hearns, etc. I don't mind people loving Pavlik as a person, but don't overhype his boxing ability. All I am saying is if he was around in the 90's or Hopkins wasn't 43 now, Pavlik would have been ruined. He may still get ruined by Kessler, Dawson, etc in the future, but he isn't at the caliber a lot of you state he is. There is a difference between liking a fighter, and overhyping a fighter.

1. He is an action fighter. Conversely, this is the same reason that a lot of fans hated on PBF. At welterweight, PBF was not a fan friendly fighter. He fought going backward a lot and while his combinations and speed were dazzling, rarely was he involved in devestating battles.

2. Pavlik knocked out the middleweight champion of the world, Jermain Taylor, in a decisively violent fashion. Of the fighters you compared to Pavlik, who has accomplished a similar feat?

3. Pavlik also came up the hard way, which resonates with a lot of people especially in these hard economic times.

Calzaghe is a brilliant boxer, but Americans have only recently been introduced to him and his showcase American bout was lackluster.

To boxing afficianados, Kessler is respected, but other than his Calzaghe fight, what fights have been on the world stage? Moreover, which of those fights did he thoroughly dominate his opponent?

Bad Chad is a new commodity. I think his fan base will steadily grow.

I understand why you are underwhelmed by his boxing abilities, but don't forget Pavlik is a middleweight. The fighters you mentioned who you assume would beat Pavlik are lhw's or smw's. Besides Abraham, name one middleweight in the whole world that would beat Pavlik right now.

Also, for what he does, his one-two punching style, he does very, very well.

Check out this article in ESPN's magazine on Pavlik: ESPN - ESPN The Magazine

Outstanding post, Rant. KP does not trash talk. He is all about destruction in the ring.