Bob Arum: Kelly Pavlik will not be robbed if he goes to Britain
No sooner had Gary Lockett been dispatched by Kelly Pavlik, thoughts turned to a potential meeting between Pavlik and Joe Calzaghe. Lockett was picked as Pavlik's opponent largely to create interest in a Calzaghe-Pavlik match and, afterwards, interest in such a clash had soared.
Should such a bout go ahead, Las Vegas would provide a huge potential site fee, but a larger live gate would be obtained at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.
While Pavlik expressed fears in not getting a fair deal outside the United States, Bob Arum, his promoter, said his boxer was wrong to have such fears. "It's a very chauvinistic thing that the Americans say," Arum said. "If you know what you are doing, you can check against all of that.
"The ring is the same, the crowd may be good, may be bad for the fighter. But if you get the right officials, what does it matter where you fight as long as it's the most money? I've been in this business a long time and I've had my fighters go all over the world, starting with [Muhammad] Ali and it doesn't spook me. I know how to protect my fighter.
"These jerks that go over and don't ask who the officials are going to be - if they then get a decision that they say is a robbery, they only have themselves to blame.
"I have never ever been robbed in Britain. The only thing I had happen to me in England that was bad was when Marvin [Hagler] fought [Alan] Minter and they threw bottles."
Jack Loew and Enzo Calzaghe, the respective trainers of Pavlik and Lockett, enjoyed a healthy rivalry in the build-up to Saturday's world middleweight title bout in Atlantic City. While Loew was quick to say that all the trash-talking between the pair had merely been to boost interest, Loew was not slow in picking his man to end the unbeaten record of Enzo's son, Joe.
"We'd love to fight Joe Calzaghe, it's a good fight but it's up to Top Rank and Bob Arum," Loew said. "Kelly will fight anyone they put in front of him. If he stays at middleweight, he stays at middleweight. I think Calzaghe is the only fight that we would leave middleweight for now."
"Calzaghe catches a lot of right hands. Bernard Hopkins put him on his ass and I think if Kelly catches him on the chin he won't have a chance."
Should negotiations for a Calzaghe-Pavlik match not prove successful, Arum wants Pavlik to box on September 27 in his home state of Ohio, followed by another bout in December. Marco Antonio Rubio and Ricardo Mayorga are two potential opponents.
Picture: Chris Farina/Top Rank
Pavlik would destroy Kessler b/c kessler doesnt move his head or feet enough and would get hit often. KO by round 7.- neither does pavlik, lets see what he's like against bigger opponents first.
ps- love the way you compare kessler and lockett-Pavlik would lose to Kessler? Come on! Kessler is another guy with little foot or head movement just like Lockett... and look what happened to him
its like comparing a blackpool donkey with a thoroughbred!
lockett is a jorneyman at best.
Posted by: bryn roberts | June 24, 2008 at 06:42 PM
Pavlik would destroy Kessler b/c kessler doesnt move his head or feet enough and would get hit often. KO by round 7.
Pavlik v. Calzaghe would be much like first Pavlik v. JT fight. Joe will keep away for awhile but then get overconfident and get tagged with a straight right. He cant avoid Pavliks punches for all 12 rounds and if old man B-Hop knocked him down, you can bet Pavlik will knock will silly.
Posted by: Ron Baron | June 12, 2008 at 08:15 PM
Pavlik would lose to Kessler? Come on! Kessler is another guy with little foot or head movement just like Lockett... and look what happened to him. Pavlik hits like a mule and would KO him by round 7.
As for Joe Calzaghe, that would be a different story. Joe is quick and knows to stay away from big hitters. But I think he would do just like JT did in his first loss to Pavlik... get overconfident and get hit hard in the middle rounds and get KO's as well. Pavlik throws too many punches for Joe to dance around and avoid them for 12 rounds.
Posted by: Ron Baron | June 12, 2008 at 08:12 PM
I think it would be a good fight but one that calzaghe would win,
probably outpointing him. Pavlik's in your face style is perfect for Joe.
Its a big ask to step up in weight straight away against someone with Calzaghe's pedigree.
To be honest i don't think Pavlik would beat Kessler - he would definitely struggle in my opinion.
Posted by: bryn roberts | June 11, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Pavlik has expressed an interest to unify the titles at Middleweight. Not a small accomplishment. Boxing may be mostly about money these days, but respect and pride at being the best in your weight goes a long way. I think Kelly should stick with what he said and unify the Middleweight Division.
Posted by: Matthew Schettler | June 09, 2008 at 07:21 PM
I don't know whether this fight makes sense for Calzaghe at all? One fight away from retirement and a whole legacy on the line doesn't appear the best time to challenge a young, smart and incredibly hard-hitting guy like Pavlik. That isn't to say Joe couldn't win but is it worth the risk? Regardless of whether Lockett was out of his depth I don't think many middleweights could have done that to him in 3 rounds. Pavlik looked awesome and very, very dangerous.
Posted by: Nik Wheatley | June 09, 2008 at 12:06 PM