By Dave Sholler
Newly crowned super welterweight champion Sergio Mora is not giving up hope that a September bout with Kelly Pavlik can be made. Reached Wednesday, Mora said that he is still in the mix to fight Pavlik in Atlantic City in early fall. He also criticized Pavlik’s promoter Bob Arum for considering welterweight Paul Williams as a potential opponent.
“We’re still pending with Kelly Pavlik,” Mora said while on his way to attend The ESPY Awards show in Los Angeles. “Pavlik is the most feared and most respected fighter right now. He’s the man to beat and he’s the man no one expects me to beat. I’m a natural 160-pounder and that’s the fight I want.
“I think it’s kind of a joke for Pavlik’s promoter to consider that,” Mora said regarding a bout with Williams. “I have high respect for Paul Williams and I know he can fill up that weight. But filling up that weight and being able to take a punch from a legitimate middleweight is another question.”
Much of Mora’s future depends on two contractual stipulations he is obligated to fulfill. For starters, should he decide to keep the WBC super welterweight title, Mora would be required to make a mandatory defense against Sergio Martinez this fall. To make matters even stickier, Vernon Forrest – whom Mora defeated in June to win the WBC crown – informed BoxingScene.com’s Rick Reeno last month that he intends to enforce the mandatory rematch clause written into the first Mora-Forrest contract. Despite having several hurdles in the way, Mora is confident he’ll land the bout that’s best for his career.
“We’re going to take the fight that makes the most sense,” Mora said, adding that he intends to keep his name in the Oscar De La Hoya sweepstakes. “I’ll be curious to see what happens after Cotto-Margarito. Whether it’s Pavlik or De La Hoya, I’ll be ready. I’m just going to let this process take its course.”
