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Pavlik-Hopkins Philly Presser!
August 5, 2008
By Rick Scharmberg
A news conference was held today at Chickie and Pete?s sports bar in south Philadelphia today to formally announce the Saturday, October 18 light heavyweight bout between former two-division world champion Bernard ?The Executioner? Hopkins and reigning world middleweight champion Kelly ?The Ghost? Pavlik. Hopkins, of Philadelphia, PA and Pavlik, of Youngstown, OH will fight at a catch-weight of 170 pounds. The bout, which is being presented by Top Rank and Golden Boy, in association with Caesars Atlantic City, will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.
Todd DuBoef, President of Top Rank Inc., opened the news conference with an introduction. ?We are proud to bring to you a great fight featuring two great fighters, the young lion, undefeated middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik from Youngstown, Ohio, and a legend, your legend from Philadelphia, Bernard Hopkins.?
Ken Condon, representing Caesars Atlantic City, stepped up to thank everyone involved in making this fight happen, and hyped the fight by stating that tickets are expected to go fast.
Mark Taffet, of HBO, spoke next. He said, ?Kelly Pavlik is building the young fan base that the sport needs. Kelly always wants the biggest challenge out there, and he is taking on a legend. That is a heck of a test. I?d like to thank Kelly Pavlik. He didn?t have to take this fight, but he did.
?On the other side of the dais is a first ballot hall-of-famer, Bernard Hopkins. Like Kelly, Bernard always wants the biggest challenge. He is taking on an undefeated KO artist in Kelly Pavlik. This will be a great fight. Will Bernard Hopkins be the fighter to derail the man who is Kelly Pavlik??
Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, introduced Hopkins? longtime trainer, Nazim Richardson. Nazim said, ?I appreciate Kelly Pavlik?s stride, and how he has come along as a fighter. People think he is new to Philly, but I know he?s been here in Philadelphia as an amateur. Bernard was getting ready for Simon Brown. He is no surprise to us, and we know we have to work hard. People overlook his skills because of his power. We have our work cut out for us.?
Richard Schaefer then introduced his fighter, Bernard Hopkins, as ?The Ghostbuster?.
Hopkins took the dais, and immediately compared himself with another legend in the final phase of a great career, pro football?s Brett Favre. ?As I look at the TV, I see an old dog named Brett Favre, who, like me, still got swagger at 40. I am not the only one still standing. Don?t look for me to retire. I have a long distance deal with Brett Favre. I?ll retire when Brett Favre retires,? he joked. ?Now let?s talk about boxing.?
?I this fight, we have two blue collar guys, two construction workers fighting for a sandwich after 9 hours of work. I respect what this guy [Pavlik] has done. He is my successor, and he got it [the middleweight title] the old fashioned way like I did. But I have to do my job. I am not afraid of a ghost,? he said.
?This is a hurt business, and I?ve been successful at it for 20 years. I have confidence from my last fight. But I lost, you say. People just said I lost. I am coming in with a controlled anger and confidence. Yesterday is in the past. I am not showing my age. I am a seasoned veteran who has fought every style, and has a plan to take the other guy?s best weapon and use it against him.?
Hopkins then referred to his 2001 stoppage of then-undefeated Felix Trinidad as an example. ?Everyone said I was in with a killer. They were saying ?left hook, left hook, left hook?, but I showed him my right hand.?
He continued, ?Pavlik is known for having a great right hand, but I have one of the best defenses in the sport. The name of the game is to take what he does best and use it against him. That?s what I do best.?
Bernard then made a brief hint at retirement. ?Atlantic City has been good to me. If this is my last visit, on my terms ? not Kelly Pavlik?s terms, I want to put on a great fight. I am looking for Kelly Pavlik to bring his A-game. I want to fight him at his best. At the end of the day, whoever has the best game plan will win the fight.?
Todd DuBoef then introduced Kelly?s father, Mike Pavlik, and called his trainer Jack Loew to the dais.
Loew praised Hopkins, stating, ?Bernard Hopkins didn?t have to take this fight, but he did. I expect him to be fully prepared. Bernard proved himself with slappy Joe [Calzaghe]. I thought he won. He has a win over Winky Wright, and has had two close fights with Jermain Taylor. We know he will be fully prepared.
DuBoef then invited Kelly Pavlik to speak.
?People asked me why I took this fight, and why fight at 170. I wanted to fight the best. I wanted to fight Calzaghe, supposedly the best fighter pound-for-pound, but there is no way we could get him. Then someone mentioned Bernard Hopkins. We train the same way for every fight. I need to be at my best, and I expect a tough fight. It is a pleasure to be in the ring with Bernard Hopkins,? he said.
?He came up the same way as me. We both fought our way up. I knocked out tough Jose Luis Zertuche and Edison Miranda. I took chances and beat Miranda. I fought Jermain Taylor with no tune-up fight, and then I fought him a second time. It was a hard road.?
Answering the question why he elected to take this fight at 170 pounds, Pavlik said, ?There was no one else to fight. Calzaghe won?t fight. That [Hopkins] was the only fight I had. He couldn?t weight 160, so we?re fighting at 170. I?m 6?2? and I walk around at 176. I have to lose weight to make this weight. My punches have more snap on them at this weight, and I?m not drained.?
?A win is a win,? stated Pavlik, when asked about pressure to look good. ?A win over Bernard Hopkins is great. There is no pressure on me no matter how it turns out. Boxing was down a little, and this fight is a great fight for boxing, like Margarito-Cotto was. This is what boxing needs.?
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(109 of 109)
Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 13, 2008 10:51 PM
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This is a good match up...this will be interesting.
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(108 of 109)
Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 13, 2008 4:34 PM
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> You figure that if a guy gets hit that often, he'd be
> visiting the canvas more frequently...or at least
> buzzed and holding on for dear life on a regular
> basis.
True... Unlike a certain HW? 
> I think just about every matchup you can look at in
> the SMW division will be interesting...Calzaghe,
> Andrade, Bute, Kessler, Dirrell, etc. You can make a
> case for any of those guys to beat Pavlik....but you
> can also make a case that he beats them all. That's a
> cool thing, imo.
Definitely agree with that being a cool thing. Pavlik will probably be keeping us entertained with competitive bouts for some time to come.
> Oh, and B-Hop is a greater concern for Pavlik than
> any of the other guys talked about for an October> bout imo (Winky, Sturm, Williams, etc.)....he is a
> crafty bastage who knows how to survive, and he's not
> a small man.
Couldn't agree more. I think this fight is faaar from the gimme some have made it out to be.
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(107 of 109)
Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 13, 2008 1:22 PM
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What the hell is wrong with Pav? He couldn't even ko Ross Thompson either after he was beaten like a drum by Vargas. lol
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(106 of 109)
Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 12, 2008 10:19 PM
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> > Neut...
> >
> > The 3rd kd was actually from a body shot that
> caught
> > him off balance.
>
> Oh okay... I hadn't known that.
Yeah, it was in the Bronco bout...
I know what you're saying though Neut. Pavlik bouts will always be interesting because he is open to get nailed...and B-Hop will certainly nail him. Pavlik does have a good beard though. It has always puzzled me that some have thought him to have a suspect chin. You figure that if a guy gets hit that often, he'd be visiting the canvas more frequently...or at least buzzed and holding on for dear life on a regular basis.
I think just about every matchup you can look at in the SMW division will be interesting...Calzaghe, Andrade, Bute, Kessler, Dirrell, etc. You can make a case for any of those guys to beat Pavlik....but you can also make a case that he beats them all. That's a cool thing, imo.
Oh, and B-Hop is a greater concern for Pavlik than any of the other guys talked about for an October bout imo (Winky, Sturm, Williams, etc.)....he is a crafty bastage who knows how to survive, and he's not a small man.
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Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 12, 2008 9:32 PM
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> What I am
> trying to say is that Pavliks style puts him in that
> position more often then say a clincher like Hopkins
> or a fast in and out puncher like Calzaghe. Those two
> don't take risk like Pavlik does and that's why they
> don't get knocked down, it's style not chin.
Point taken...
> Now the question is who do you think has the better
> chance of dropping the other, Pavlik or Hopkins. My
> vote and money goes on Pavlik.
If Hops fought until he was 50, I wouldn't bet on him being dropped. He just doesn't open himself up to it. With that, I'll have to maintain my "counter theory" and the possibility of Kelly getting caught on the wrong side of his own aggression.
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Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 12, 2008 9:26 PM
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> Neut...
>
> The 3rd kd was actually from a body shot that caught
> him off balance.
Oh okay... I hadn't known that.
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Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 12, 2008 8:01 PM
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> While I may have overstated Pavlik's chin issue, I'm
> not sure I agree with the above. Some fighters can
> take literally ANYTHING and not be phased. Kelly
> takes some pretty good shots, but 3 KD's say he's not
> one of those iron-headed types. Plus, Calzaghe, who
> fought bigger comp throughout his career had
> something like one KD in 20+ defenses and Hops put
> him on his ass in round 1.
>
> I'm not trying to dis Pavlik's chin, but a
> well-placed, well-timed counter will probably stun
> 90% of top pros with decent chins.
I agree, that type of punch will stun 90% of boxers, maybe more depending on who throws it. What I am trying to say is that Pavliks style puts him in that position more often then say a clincher like Hopkins or a fast in and out puncher like Calzaghe. Those two don't take risk like Pavlik does and that's why they don't get knocked down, it's style not chin. Like I stated before if you put Hopkins or Calzaghe or any fighter in the situation Pavlik found himself in against Taylor they would get dropped, period. No one can take that many flush punches to the dome and still stand, except maybe Lamotta  . Plus Hops didn't "put Joe on his ass" he caught him off balance with a short hook that didn't even stun Joe, he was up immediatly and not hurt, great punch but not a stunner.
Now the question is who do you think has the better chance of dropping the other, Pavlik or Hopkins. My vote and money goes on Pavlik.
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Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 12, 2008 4:05 PM
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Neut...
The 3rd kd was actually from a body shot that caught him off balance.
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Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 12, 2008 3:58 PM
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> I agree with Toe2Toe. How can anyone say Pavlik's
> chin is suspect? If you actually slow down Taylor vs.
> Pavlik I, Taylor hit him 13 times flush before he
> knocked him down and Pavlik still came back and KO'd
> him. Same story with Zuniga, current IBO super
> middleweight champ, Kelly got knocked down with a
> huge punch early in his career but was able to come
> back to KO him. Any fighter in the world would have
> been knocked down in those same situations Pavlik
> faced. With that being said, Pavliks fighting style
> puts himself in those situations more frequently than
> most fighters so there is a higher chance of him
> getting knocked down because of style not chin. But
> he is getting better at picking his position and
> angles, in his past two fights he was never hurt by
> Taylor or Lockett. Bhop has about a 3% chance of
> flooring Pavlik.
While I may have overstated Pavlik's chin issue, I'm not sure I agree with the above. Some fighters can take literally ANYTHING and not be phased. Kelly takes some pretty good shots, but 3 KD's say he's not one of those iron-headed types. Plus, Calzaghe, who fought bigger comp throughout his career had something like one KD in 20+ defenses and Hops put him on his ass in round 1.
I'm not trying to dis Pavlik's chin, but a well-placed, well-timed counter will probably stun 90% of top pros with decent chins.
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Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 12, 2008 2:56 PM
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I agree with Toe2Toe. How can anyone say Pavlik's chin is suspect? If you actually slow down Taylor vs. Pavlik I, Taylor hit him 13 times flush before he knocked him down and Pavlik still came back and KO'd him. Same story with Zuniga, current IBO super middleweight champ, Kelly got knocked down with a huge punch early in his career but was able to come back to KO him. Any fighter in the world would have been knocked down in those same situations Pavlik faced. With that being said, Pavliks fighting style puts himself in those situations more frequently than most fighters so there is a higher chance of him getting knocked down because of style not chin. But he is getting better at picking his position and angles, in his past two fights he was never hurt by Taylor or Lockett. Bhop has about a 3% chance of flooring Pavlik.
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Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 11, 2008 9:04 PM
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>
> Yes. As Toe has said many times though, Monzon
> looked beatable in much the same way, someone
> probably could have, but nobody could at the time and
> nobody did.
Pretty good point. I've always compared Kelly to
former featherweight champion Danny "Little Red"
Lopez (Lopez had the bigger p4p punch) who was
beatable alright.....but not by a 43 year old who
needed to conserve energy.
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Edited by JimEarl at 08/11/2008 9:56 PM PDT
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Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 11, 2008 8:22 PM
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> I think moving up in weight is bad for Pavlik. He
> has had problems with KDs at 160 and, based on that,
> Hop's punching power at 175 will probably be more
> than enough to ring his bell.
>
> If Pavlik leaves himself open to a big counter, he
> could taste some canvas. If he tastes canvas early,
> Hops may have more than enough to finish the job.
Pavlik has a pretty good chin. He has only been down twice from blows to the head. Once from that everything but the kitchen sink attack that JT launched at him, and once from a giant left hook that Zuniga caught him by surprise with. Zuniga has dropped many with that punch. Given the number of clean punches that Pavlik takes in a fight, the fact that he's been down just twice from blows to the head tells me he has a pretty sturdy beard.
Hopkins will land that right hand over Pavlik's jab, just like everyone else does. But Pavlik has been better at blocking the follow up left hook...and Hopkins probably wont throw it anyway. Besides...we've seen Pavlik go down, and we've seen him get back up. His legs may take a few seconds to catch up with his head, but he definitely hasnt looked like he was in another world......like Wlad.
--
Edited by Toe2Toe at 08/11/2008 5:22 PM PDT
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Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 11, 2008 4:19 PM
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no, I 'spose not !
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Re: Kelly Pavlik vs. Bernard Hopkins
Aug 11, 2008 4:15 PM
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> > The hardest thing for old fighters like Hopkins
> to
> > o do, is go forward & keep putting punches
> together.
>
> agreed, but the hardest thing for Hops will be losing
> to two white boys in a row.....
Can you blame him ?
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