Ghost of Boxing Past: Kelly Pavlik Returns to the Ring
By Gina L. Caliboso
The Youngstown, Ohio, Ghost of Boxing Past.
Yes boxing fans, any renditions of Dickens’ A Christmas Tale is remarkably late by four months, and considering I got beat up with my Boxing Santa Letter, I’d like to take a look at a fighter that I truly think has an opportunity to go forward into his boxing future and make something of himself.
Kelly Pavlik, 36-2, 32 KO’s, fell by the boxing sidelines in 2010, but I think with some proper guidance and self-determination, Pavlik can reinvent and go forward and be a factor in the super middleweight and even middleweight divisions.
The good news first: Pavlik will return to the ring in May 2011 on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao – Shane Mosley and is set to go up against Alfonso Lopez, 21-0, 16 KO’s, in a scheduled 10 round super middleweight bout.
I obviously wish Pavlik well because he should definitely be in the throes of preparation for this bout. But when I say I’d like to revisit his awesome boxing past, I always start with a boxer’s losses. And again, Pavlik’s losses are not bad. Pavlik is a hard working boxer that has gone up against the best.
I also offer that in spite of his two losses, Pavlik’s worst opponent can be himself. Personal demons aside and perhaps even denial to himself or his camp, a boxer with demons, however personal, can ultimately affect his performance in the ring that requires absolute presence.
It’s easy to preach that outside the ring a fighter can find so little control, getting beat up in the ring is probably a safe haven. Either way, a boxer must be in his own right mind because in the ring, he is by himself. I have this compassion for Pavlik because I’ve enjoyed his fights and his determination to win. He is not the prettiest fighter in his fighting style, but he finds a way to battle.
The losses came up against two boxers that I’ve written about – a lot. In October 2008, Pavlik faced the veteran Bernard “Executioner” Hopkins. Hopkins is really just a fighter that wears down his opponents. He is not the most exciting fighter to watch, but put him against the current crop of power punchers, Hopkins makes them look clumsy and he rightly schools his opponents and the judges to win by his tactics. The scores in this bout weren’t even close and Pavlik lost badly in points.
His other loss came against Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez. Pavlik lost the 12 round UD loss and both the WBO and WBC Middleweight titles went to Martinez.
To recap Pavlik’s Ghost of boxing past, he also scored two key victories over Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor. Pavlik first defeated Taylor in 2007 where he TKO’d Taylor in the 7th round for both the WBO and WBC Middleweight titles. The two met again later in 2008 where Pavlik achieved a 12 round unanimous decision. Pavlik followed up the Taylor victory with a convincing 3rd round win over Gary Lockett, but then followed with the loss against Hopkins.
Somehow, there is something or someone decidedly missing from Pavlik’s fighting record. In 2009, he fought twice and won twice, but his opponents didn’t put up much of a fight. Following his Hopkins loss, he fought against Marco Antonio Rubio, and defeated him with a 9th round RTD. Following Rubio, Pavlik fought against Miguel Angel Espino in December 2009 and fought to a 5th round TKO.
But this is what I mean by his boxing present, or at least as present from 2009-2010.
The one fighter missing – Paul “Punisher” Williams. Pavlik was set to fight against Williams in October 2009, but then later postponed to December 2009, and finally cancelled. Pavlik had suffered a staph infection to his left hand. Instead, Williams ended up facing Martinez. And we all know that this was the beginning of the rise of Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez. Pavlik’s last bout was against Martinez and he lost. Pavlik also was set to fight on the Pacquiao – Antonio Margarito undercard against Bryan Vera, but had to pull out due to a rib injury.
According to an ESPN.com article by Dan Rafael published in January this year, it was reported that Pavlik checked out of rehab for treatment of alcohol abuse. Pavlik has been noticeably absent from boxing in the past year as his injuries and pulling out of fights piled up on him. While I’m sure that Pavlik’s injuries have been legitimate, he has hopefully, conquered other issues as well.
Pavlik’s future in boxing has yet to be determined – a ghost of boxing future. But I think Pavlik provides an important sidebar to the super middleweight and middleweight divisions.
First, there is the semifinal and final rounds of the Super Six Middleweight Tournament. Second, Pavlik may choose to fight Williams – the one fighter who was left in the cold while Pavlik suffered injury. Third, there is of course the rise of Sergio Martinez. And finally, there is also the presence of Canada’s Lucian Bute.
Pavlik has and always been a battler, fighting as well as he got. I’m sure now, much like his boxing style, he is a battler, a winner, and he can certainly attempt and thrive in achieving wins inside the ring.