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Getbig Misc Discussion Boards => Mixed Martial Arts (MMA/UFC) => Topic started by: SinCitysmallGUY on September 24, 2008, 08:41:50 AM
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The following is off the AP Newswire:
Pavlik finalizes deal to fight Hopkins
By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP)��"Unbeaten middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik has finalized a deal to fight longtime titlist Bernard Hopkins on Oct. 18 in Atlantic City, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday.
Arum is ambivalent about making the 170-pound fight between Pavlik (34-0, 30 KOs) and Hopkins, the cagey 43-year-old boxer who lost a narrow decision to Joe Calzaghe in April. But after potential matchups with Calzaghe and Arthur Abraham fell through, Arum and Pavlik decided to move up 10 pounds to face a famous opponent who specializes in messy, defensive fights.
“Kelly was looking for a big fight, and there was nobody around that qualified as a big fight,” Arum said. “Even though we’re not thrilled about fighting at 170 pounds, (Hopkins) was the only alternative.”
Pavlik, who battered Gary Lockett in his first title defense in June, had hoped for a 168-pound matchup with fellow unbeaten champion Calzaghe, but the Welshman instead accepted a less daunting fight with veteran Roy Jones Jr. That fight likely will be held Nov. 8 in New York after Calzaghe recently sprained his right wrist in training.
Pavlik, the Youngstown, Ohio, native who holds the WBC and WBO middleweight belts, also craves a unification bout with dangerous IBF 160-pound champion Abraham. But the German fighter must meet mandatory challenger Raul Marquez this fall.
Top Rank also discussed matchups with Paul Williams, Winky Wright, Marco Antonio Rubio, Randy Griffin and Sergio Mora before deciding on Hopkins (48-5-1, 32 KOs), the Golden Boy Promotions partner who once made 20 consecutive middleweight title defenses.
Though Hopkins isn’t a strong pay-per-view draw or a particularly exciting fighter, he’s still an impressive athlete and a defensive mastermind who will test Pavlik’s discipline and resourcefulness.
“Kelly realized that since Hopkins has given everyone else trouble, that if Kelly disposes of him and knocks him out, it will be a feather in Kelly’s cap,” Arum said.
After revitalizing his career with upset victories over Antonio Tarver and Wright, Hopkins dropped a split decision to Calzaghe in April in Las Vegas, losing his light heavyweight title despite knocking down Calzaghe in the first round. Hopkins, who faded in the late rounds, repeatedly has insisted he was robbed.
Pavlik still might get a shot at Calzaghe before the Welsh champion retires, Arum said. Calzaghe recently has seemed open to meeting Pavlik early next year if both fighters win their next bouts.
Top Rank will formally announce the Pavlik-Hopkins fight at a news conference in New York next month, Arum said.
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I dunno, it's just hard for me to get excited about this fight. Taylor has already beaten Hopkins twice, and Pavlik has beaten Taylor twice, once by a dominating knock out.
Hopkins is 43... and while also elusive, I think Pavlik will do what "point fighter" Calzaghe couldn't.... kayo Hopkins, probably some time in the mid-rounds.
I will watch the replay but no way in hell am I paying $40+ for this fight.
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I dunno, it's just hard for me to get excited about this fight. Taylor has already beaten Hopkins twice, and Pavlik has beaten Taylor twice, once by a dominating knock out.
Hopkins is 43... and while also elusive, I think Pavlik will do what "point fighter" Calzaghe couldn't.... kayo Hopkins, probably some time in the mid-rounds.
I will watch the replay but no way in hell am I paying $40+ for this fight.
I refuse to pay for this fight as well. It's like a tyson holyfield rematch. Dude is just to old for me to be interested... To bad this fight didn't happen 10 years ago for Bernard. If only we could keep Pavlik his age and take Bernard back in time. :'(
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Hopkins can make the most exciting fighter look bad (and he usually does), by that I mean he can drag them out in a boring, dirty, low output snoozer (win or lose). That being said, I hope Kelly catches him flush then pounces.
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Hopkins can make the most exciting fighter look bad (and he usually does), by that I mean he can drag them out in a boring, dirty, low output snoozer (win or lose). That being said, I hope Kelly catches him flush then pounces.
Looking back over the last few years he has fought Joe Calzaghe, a fighter who is the brunt of alot of "he's a point-fighter" references... Winky Wright, known mostly as a superb defensive fighter. He beat the hell out Antonio Tarver who fought an absolutely terrrible fight. He also fought a very solid, and somewhat heavy handed Jermain Taylor.
None of these guys could kayo Hopkins. There is little doubt in my mind that Pavlik will win. The biggest question is...
Can Kelly Pavlik knockout a 43 year old Bernard Hopkins?
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Looking back over the last few years he has fought Joe Calzaghe, a fighter who is the brunt of alot of "he's a point-fighter" references... Winky Wright, known mostly as a superb defensive fighter. He beat the hell out Antonio Tarver who fought an absolutely terrrible fight. He also fought a very solid, and somewhat heavy handed Jermain Taylor.
None of these guys could kayo Hopkins. There is little doubt in my mind that Pavlik will win. The biggest question is...
Can Kelly Pavlik knockout a 43 year old Bernard Hopkins?
that would be something (seeing if pav can stop bernard)....the way bernard keeps that chin tucked away...I just don't see kelly catching him flush though. Kelly doesn't exactly have a large library of punches to be dynamic with bernard and open him up to expose that chin nor can he counter punch to save his life (neither could jermain).
I can however see hop making this fight extremely boring, rough-house kelly, lunging counters underneath...etc trying to discourage kelly and get in his head (complain to ref, cuts, head butts, shots to the hip on the ref blind side, forearm to back of neck in doubled over clinches, excessive grabbing inside)...hopkins is the master of these things......what ticks fighters off is they know it's coming, so even when it happens your like....MAN WTF....LOL
Kelly just needs to stay busy basically and outwork bernard and he will win imo. This fight is going to be boring and ugly.