I think Kelly Pavlik will be a HUGE force at 160.
He got past taylor (twice) so i dont see any major threats to his crown at the moment.
I think pavlik should last for a good long while at the champ at 160.
I'd give a PRIME winky a good shot at beating him but he's too far past his prime and beyond that i cant really think of anyone with a good legitamate chance.
Pavlik just turned 26, doesn't seem to have any trouble making weight, I say he should stay at MW and dominate for a few years at least before moving up. If he went up right now, he would just lose to a stronger, more experienced fighter and that would set him back a bit.
Wright, if he can still make MW, strongest threat, Abraham second.
This might sound silly but I still feel that Andy Lee has a lot of potential. It all depends how he recovers from his defeat. At 168 Kessler and Calzaghe both beat Kelly.
This role is so complex only Robert de Niro could play it ;)
LOL. I think DeNiro is about 25 years past being able to play a boxer. Maybe Jim Carrey or Adam Sandler could star in "The Ghost"?
:banana:
There isn't anyone. All the competition is up at 168 and 176. Look at his two mandatories that he has to fight. Gary Lockett and Marco Antonio Rubio? Granted, the sanctioning bodies aren't exactly known for making the best fighters their mandatories, but they usually put forth live bodies at least. Sturm may be able to out-box him, but I don't think so. Abraham gets stopped because he can't fight Kelly at a distance. Winky Wright is just too far past his prime. Then who? Castillejo? Duddy? Mora? Joe Greene? I would love to see Vernon Forrest move up moreso than any of these guys. I think Pavlik stops him, but at least it is a compelling matchup.
Kelly just needs to collect the belts than move up. Look at what is there at 168. Pavlik/Kessler. Pavlik/Calzaghe. Pavlik/Bute. Pavlik/Mundine. Pavlik/Froch, Inkin, Lacy, Green, Dirrell, Pascal... even Miranda II or Taylor III if they could reposition themselves. There are also fighters like Andre Ward, Codrington, Quillin, Manfredo Jr, etc. I'd take any number of those fights over all 160 matchups short of Pavlik/Abraham or Sturm.
Then... Well I don't need to explain what is at 176. He has the frame for it, easily. He's got to get there quick though. The fighters are getting old!
IMO Kessler, Calzaghe and Dawson would beat Pavlik at 168 and 175 (not 176) just to point that out. He needs to experience more variety in styles and whatnot before he takes on the big guns at the higher weights. Tarver, Johnson, Woods and some of the other 175's he would beat there getting on a bit now.
At this point in time theres not that many contenders in the division...i think Pav could rule for a while actually.....i really cant think of anyone
Wright and Abraham are the two biggest threats.
Abraham, Wright and Sturm could possibly beat him (Abraham because of his power, Sturm & Wright because of their boxing skills) but I doubt they would.
Abraham is way too inactive, Sturm does not like being pressured and Wright is getting old and stationary.
I only really see Pavlik losing if he moves up in weight to LHW, Mikkel Kessler would be a good fight as well but all that depends on how Kessler will come back from his loss to Calzaghe.
At this point in time theres not that many contenders in the division...i think Pav could rule for a while actually.....i really cant think of anyone
The only two who can make 160 and would have a reasonable chance would be Wright and Abraham.
There isn't anyone. All the competition is up at 168 and 176. Look at his two mandatories that he has to fight. Gary Lockett and Marco Antonio Rubio? Granted, the sanctioning bodies aren't exactly known for making the best fighters their mandatories, but they usually put forth live bodies at least. Sturm may be able to out-box him, but I don't think so. Abraham gets stopped because he can't fight Kelly at a distance. Winky Wright is just too far past his prime. Then who? Castillejo? Duddy? Mora? Joe Greene? I would love to see Vernon Forrest move up moreso than any of these guys. I think Pavlik stops him, but at least it is a compelling matchup.
Kelly just needs to collect the belts than move up. Look at what is there at 168. Pavlik/Kessler. Pavlik/Calzaghe. Pavlik/Bute. Pavlik/Mundine. Pavlik/Froch, Inkin, Lacy, Green, Dirrell, Pascal... even Miranda II or Taylor III if they could reposition themselves. There are also fighters like Andre Ward, Codrington, Quillin, Manfredo Jr, etc. I'd take any number of those fights over all 160 matchups short of Pavlik/Abraham or Sturm.
Then... Well I don't need to explain what is at 176. He has the frame for it, easily. He's got to get there quick though. The fighters are getting old!