Kelly Pavlik RETIRES – Former Middleweight Champion Says Goodbye – BOXING NEWS
By Geno McGahee
The former middleweight champion, Kelly Pavlik, 40-2, 34 KO’s, was campaigning in the super middleweight division with hopes to challenge Andre Ward, which materialized only to fall apart when the champion needed surgery. With nowhere to go, Pavlik at the age of 30, citing a lack of drive and love for the sport. He just can’t get up for the game anymore.
Pavlik went from obscurity to superstar in 2007 when he dethroned Jermain Taylor for the middleweight title, climbing off the floor to pummel the champion and take the gold. Although that was his break into the boxing mainstream, he did have some very good wins leading up to that victory. He knocked out Edison Miranda (KO-7), Jose Luis Zertuche (KO-8) and Lenord Pierre (KO-4). He was making his name in the sport as a big puncher and when he defeated Taylor and repeated it with a victory in the rematch, he showed he was an elite fighter.
After the back to back Taylor wins, he would beat up an overmatched Gary Lockett and then sign to take on Bernard Hopkins, in a match that was supposed to be Pavlik’s moment. He was going to send Hopkins out of the sport on his back and become the superstar that many thought he was destined to be. That didn’t happen.
Personal problems and substance abuse problems led to a poor performance and a wide decision loss. He was advised during the fight to basically play it safe and take the loss, erasing the come from behind “all or nothing” approach that the fans saw with the first Taylor fight. Pavlik was back to the drawing board.
Pavlik would regain the titles in his next fight, defend them once and then take on the smaller Sergio Martinez. He would drop Martinez, but proved too slow of foot to catch him, losing a clear decision. It was noted that he wasn’t over his problems and perhaps had he been fully focused he may have caught Martinez late. If Julio Cesar Chavez, JR., can do it, Pavlik certainly should have been able to.
After the Martinez defeat, Pavlik would move up to the 168 pound division and put together four victories. He didn’t look terrific but he didn’t look bad either. He was a live underdog with Ward, but now the fight will not happen, unless this retirement is merely a tactic to push the fight forward, which is doubtful.
Kelly Pavlik will go down as an underachiever despite his two title runs. Had he not had the issues, he probably would be undefeated right now and placed in the top 10 pound for pound.
