SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: "Calzaghe seems intent on avoiding the undefeated PAVLIK"

at this stage of their careers pavlik ko's calzaghe.

To think Calzaghe is avoiding Pavlik is a joke. To fight Pavlik over Jones JC would have to struggle to make 168 again which was getting really difficult for him before he moved to 175 and he would also have to be willing to accept a payday about 1/4 the size. Pavlik will make JC around 5 million while Jones will make JC around 20 million. After Jones, if Pavlik wants to move up to LHW and challenge Joe and it's financially worth it, JC will fight him and win pretty convincingly. The yanks screaming for Calzaghe/Pavlik thinking Pavlik has the best chance to hand Joe a loss are foolish. Dawson is the fighter that would give JC the most problems and he's also a LHW.

Call me crazy but i think jones has a good shot at beating Joe. His newly adopted Winky defense has served him well his past few fights and his speed is still there. Watching B-hop land all of those crosses left me wondering how much better Roy would do it. Im also thinking that Roy has alittle more pop than B-hop. For me its a toss up though, but i wouldnt be surprised if Roy had a field day with all the right cross he will land almost at will.

Just a bit of ago, Calzaghe said he'd go back down to 168 after Hopkins to fight Pavlik. What changed his mind not to do that? Before that Calzaghe said he was moving up to Light Heavy because he was struggling to make 168, and most recently Joe said that Pavlik just isn't ready for him. So if we're going to pick and choose his statements why not pick those ones?

Just a bit of ago, Calzaghe said he'd go back down to 168 after Hopkins to fight Pavlik. What changed his mind not to do that? True. If he fought at 168 about a year ago he could probably do it right now. My guess is it's a mixture of star power and perfect timing as far as the go ahead to fight jones. The fight never happened back when Roy was Mr. Unbeatable.

Jones is a tougher fight for Joe than Pavlik is. Yeah? in your dreams!!! Jones is past his prime! He's not anymore a threat to anyone that's why he's just cherry picking!

taylor was considered to be a very flawed fighter since his fight with wright so yea kelly knocked him out but it was bound to happen, some people even felt like taylor lost to a much smaller man in spinks I'd like to meet these people who thought Spinks beat Taylor. We could do a talk show about them and put it on UPN.

yes, thats probably why every boxing "expert" calls it an even fight, and why pretty much every fan in the sport is clamoring for it. :ugh: Just gotta suck it up dude, Calzaghe took the easy way out against Jones, even though he is still gonna get beat the fuck up pretty badly. I guess u'll change ur mind then Just like Lacy was a 3-1 favourite and almost no one picked Calzaghe to win and just like Kessler-Calzaghe was a 50-50 fight. Pavlik-Calzaghe would be a carbon copy of Calzaghe-Kessler.

I would see Pavlik beating Calzaghe in a good, hard fought fight. But I have to be honest, Calzaghe is a fighter w/ no POP really. He barely has notable fighters that he has beaten on his resume. And he has been fighting for years now. I see Calzaghe taking the Jones fight as cop out to avoid Pavlik. I mean if he really wanted to go out on top and to show the world how great he claims he is, why not take the fight against the new next great young fighter (which Pavlik is), beat him and shut everybody up? To add, who has Jones really beaten in his long as career? I'm not saying that he wasn't a good or entertaining fighter, but he's been washed up since Tarver's lame-ass knocked him out right before Glenn Johnson put him to sleep. Jones should have stayed in the booth, commenting on fights. I wouldn't pay to watch this fight, I feel Calzaghe took the easiest road out. Anyways, Calzaghe by decision... but I don't really care. You utter mental. Can anyone explain to me what Pavlik has done to merit the charge that Calzaghe is ducking him. He's a champion, and not even the undisputed one, two divisions below Calzaghe. TWO DIVISIONS. He has one notable name on his resume. There's a load of shite written about Calzaghe's resume but there's 15 names on there that would KTFO of Pavlik's second best win in Miranda. I like Pavlik. Great guy and great for the sport. He could even be a long term champion in the historically epic MW division. But he'd be horribly overmatched against Calzaghe. Horribly. Forget any height or power advantages he might have, it'd make the Pac-Diaz fight look competitive. You couldn't make an opponent more tailor made for Joe. Jones on the other hand has a shot. Maybe not much of one these days but he does have a shot. If he still has anything left - which I doubt - then it could be a superb way for both guys to bow out. I'm looking forward to it.

I think if Kessler had brought more drama to the fight and made an impression on American audiences in the action, he'd be regarded more fondly by the press and others. As it is, he picked up his first loss fighting a professional fight and never made a big fuss. Fighters who aren't American are quickly forgotten by Americans who aren't wowed. Pavlik made a statement against a fighter who was popular and well-regarded internationally. His eye-catching style makes him more memorable than Kessler, who hasn't scored a big knockout on American TV. taylor was considered to be a very flawed fighter since his fight with wright so yea kelly knocked him out but it was bound to happen, some people even felt like taylor lost to a much smaller man in spinks

I would see Pavlik beating Calzaghe in a good, hard fought fight. But I have to be honest, Calzaghe is a fighter w/ no POP really. He barely has notable fighters that he has beaten on his resume. And he has been fighting for years now. I see Calzaghe taking the Jones fight as cop out to avoid Pavlik. I mean if he really wanted to go out on top and to show the world how great he claims he is, why not take the fight against the new next great young fighter (which Pavlik is), beat him and shut everybody up? To add, who has Jones really beaten in his long as career? I'm not saying that he wasn't a good or entertaining fighter, but he's been washed up since Tarver's lame-ass knocked him out right before Glenn Johnson put him to sleep. Jones should have stayed in the booth, commenting on fights. I wouldn't pay to watch this fight, I feel Calzaghe took the easiest road out. Anyways, Calzaghe by decision... but I don't really care.

Jones is a tougher fight for Joe than Pavlik is. Thats how I feel too. but i think pavlik is tougher fight for jones than joe. Joes lack of power takes away jones biggest weakness.

I very much doubt that he'd be that highly regarded if it wasn't for him being the only top american on the fight scene today. I hate to bring it up because it might sound nuthuggerish since it's my oumphteenth time, but Mikkel Kessler has fought a string of former or current champions, and because of the loss to the p4p no.1 or 2 he's recoqnition is lacking in comparison. And that despite giving Joe a good fight although Kessler didnt spar and fought with a broken right hand. I think if Kessler had brought more drama to the fight and made an impression on American audiences in the action, he'd be regarded more fondly by the press and others. As it is, he picked up his first loss fighting a professional fight and never made a big fuss. Fighters who aren't American are quickly forgotten by Americans who aren't wowed. Pavlik made a statement against a fighter who was popular and well-regarded internationally. His eye-catching style makes him more memorable than Kessler, who hasn't scored a big knockout on American TV.

That's a joke. Surely any boxing writer knows that Pavlik wouldn't have an outside chance to win a single round against Joe. Joe could literally beat him onehanded. I don't know why anyone clamors for this. We don't need this. This is ridiculous.

Kelly Pavlik is 3 1/2 inches taller than Joe Calzaghe. Huge advantage for Pavlik, no way Calzaghe is gonna have any easy time against Pavlik.

If the higher ups in boxing think you are special, then they'll make you out to be so. If they don't, then you have an uphill battle. You think the boxing powers wanted Hopkins to get as far as he did? If not for the middleweight unification tournament, Hopkins would never have breached a pound for pound list in his life. Pavlik is a very good fighter with an undefeated record. That goose egg at the end of the record means everything to the layman, but very little without substance. Pavlik did what he had to against Taylor and Miranda. Theres still a lot of boxing left to be done before he retires so I'm not willing to anoint him as an ATG like some have already. But he's a very good fighter and I'd give him an excellent shot at beating Calzaghe. I very much doubt that he'd be that highly regarded if it wasn't for him being the only top american on the fight scene today. I hate to bring it up because it might sound nuthuggerish since it's my oumphteenth time, but Mikkel Kessler has fought a string of former or current champions, and because of the loss to the p4p no.1 or 2 he's recoqnition is lacking in comparison. And that despite giving Joe a good fight although Kessler didnt spar and fought with a broken right hand.

This is getting silly now. Nobody actually believes Calzaghe is scared of Kelly Pavlik, at least nobody who isn't a permanent resident in a mental institution.

Stuff like this is the reason I can't stand MSM. As if Calzaghe is scared of Pavlik, PUHHHLEZE.

Look. I like Kelly Pavlik and I think he's a fine boxer and a good ambassador for our sport. What I dont like is the seemingly endless yank overhyping of Pavlik. He's placed around the top 5 in most ppl's p4p rankings and that IMO can only be based on him defeating Taylor so I think it's a bit too high. If you take that win away Kelly wouldn't crack the top 30 as he has fought noone else to warrant a high ranking. IMO Kelly is overrated based on accomplishments and I think it's because he is white, on HBO and one of a very few yanks to be a star in our sport. If the higher ups in boxing think you are special, then they'll make you out to be so. If they don't, then you have an uphill battle. You think the boxing powers wanted Hopkins to get as far as he did? If not for the middleweight unification tournament, Hopkins would never have breached a pound for pound list in his life. Pavlik is a very good fighter with an undefeated record. That goose egg at the end of the record means everything to the layman, but very little without substance. Pavlik did what he had to against Taylor and Miranda. Theres still a lot of boxing left to be done before he retires so I'm not willing to anoint him as an ATG like some have already. But he's a very good fighter and I'd give him an excellent shot at beating Calzaghe.

AA beat Miranda earlier and then beat him again. wrong, the first fight was a ud. pavlik koed him in 7 rds, aa in 16rds.