is it too late for pavlik?

-Kev- I used to be a Pavlik fan but not so much anymore. Over the past fews years he's let his fans down over and over again due to his primadonna and selfish attitude and lackluster performances. However, I'm cautiously optimistic that he'll comeback and get a couple meaningful wins under his belt. Sometimes a long layoff from the sport can help a fighter reflect, get some perspective on things and get the hunger back (provided said fighter isn't sh1t faced the whole layoff..). We'll have to wait and see what happens with Pavlik. Maybe he'll prove his naysayers wrong or maybe he'll let down his fans (again)... I've subscribed to this thread so I'll be the first to bump it if things go right...

I think at least his career is done, I just hope he's still able to recover from his alcohol addiction ... He was on the top of the world a few years ago, the best MW in the world and one of the best boxers in any division ... then he was completely dominated against Hopkins, but hey it was a couple of divisions above his natural weight so it wasn't that bad ... he won against Rubio and recovered some of his confidence, but after his clear lost against Maravilla Martinez the guy just lost all his confidence and from then on his career went downward ... I wish him the best luck, I think he won't be able to get his career really back on track but I hope he's able to get his LIFE back on track ...

Well, he's on the right track to try and make a serious run.

He's just one good performance away from being "back".

he's been given many chances to at least make some headway in the right direction and he's done nothing even if he's physically capable, he's burned so many bridges he's also never been anything but a blue collar worker in there even at his best he went through hell in victory. i havn't seen anything that makes me think he can deal with any of the guys at 168 long enough to break them down and start landing the right hand. even without all of the bull**** he's brought on himself i don't think he'd have a chance to get anywhere near where he was at higher weight classes. he was a gigantic MW with punching power. at 168 he's physically much more ordinary. and on kelly pavlik not taking punishment... other than hopkins he was never really beat up, but he's developed a pattern of taking punishment in victory and defeat for some time now check his fights with zertuche miranda etc. (in fact, i'll shamelessly plug my history section thread on kelly and refer to it) the guy has taken his share of punches. and he's got a style that historically leads to an early peak. sorry, brother, but he's got way to much working against him i'm starting to doubt his abilities to even fight again, nevermind regain his old form he hasn't even cleaned up his problems with drinking I also thought Sergio Martinez beat him pretty bad for the most part.

I'm always surprised how fight fans are so quick to write a fighter off "as done." Pavlik is still a young man in a sport where guys 3, 5, 10 years older than him are performing at elite levels; he's also not taken an inordinate amout of punishment in his career so he's definitely (Lennox) not a shot fighter. He's struggled with his personal demons over the last 3-4 years but by no means does that limit him from making a meaningful comeback... Pavlik needs to get back into the gym, back into the routine and back into the ring and frequently at that. He needs to work with a new trainer, focus on his health and family and get that hunger back. In boxing, we've seen guys make more improbable comebacks, time and time again, and I don't see why Pavlik can't do the same.. When you drink like him and Hatton, you will be done way before your time. Hatton retired at 32, remember. His lifestyle of drinking like an animal took it's toll on his body. And I can tell you from first hand experience, drinking does slow you down. I use to drink at an early age, and it slowed me down BADLY. I went from lead-off hitter in my baseball team, to being tied with the slowest guy in the team when we sprint, I use to be the fastest guy there. I don't drink anymore but I can tell you it took years of staying away fromalcohol for me to get my legs back. It was because of drinking too much beer, I stayed looking the same though, slim, still looked fast, but the alcohol ruined my body and made me much much slower. I can only imagine how alcohol would affect a boxer, in a sport that is 100x more dangerous than baseball. I'm sorry, i've noticed for a couple of years now, that you're a big Pavlik fan. But in reality, Kelly Pavlik is actually done at the elite level and honestly he would be lucky to even scrape by B-C fighters. You saw how he looked against Alfonso Lopez...that was the alcohol. Even if he leaves it now, it's too late. He had to clean up his life a while ago. You can defend him all you want but this is his fault and his responsibility, and now he's facing the consequences.

he's been given many chances to at least make some headway in the right direction and he's done nothing even if he's physically capable, he's burned so many bridges he's also never been anything but a blue collar worker in there even at his best he went through hell in victory. i havn't seen anything that makes me think he can deal with any of the guys at 168 long enough to break them down and start landing the right hand. even without all of the bull**** he's brought on himself i don't think he'd have a chance to get anywhere near where he was at higher weight classes. he was a gigantic MW with punching power. at 168 he's physically much more ordinary. and on kelly pavlik not taking punishment... other than hopkins he was never really beat up, but he's developed a pattern of taking punishment in victory and defeat for some time now check his fights with zertuche miranda etc. (in fact, i'll shamelessly plug my history section thread on kelly and refer to it) the guy has taken his share of punches. and he's got a style that historically leads to an early peak. sorry, brother, but he's got way to much working against him i'm starting to doubt his abilities to even fight again, nevermind regain his old form he hasn't even cleaned up his problems with drinking This is what I would have thought when thinking about this question but I will stay optimistic until we see how he does with Garcia. I will answer the thread question after his next fight. You never know what a new environment and trainer can do to a fighter.

http://media.avclub.com/images/articles/article/51757/vlcsnap-2011-02-14-06h23m44s168_png_627x325_crop_upscale_q85.jpg

No, it's not to late for Pavlik to turn it around he will pick up a couple of good wins than I would like to see him face some of the guys at 168 .I would like to see him and Froch fight in Pavliks hometown.

Though I like to believe it's never too late, the reasons for his recent setbacks and the fact that these problems have lingered tells me that he'll unlikely ever be on the same level that he once was.

I'm always surprised how fight fans are so quick to write a fighter off "as done." Pavlik is still a young man in a sport where guys 3, 5, 10 years older than him are performing at elite levels; he's also not taken an inordinate amout of punishment in his career so he's definitely (Lennox) not a shot fighter. He's struggled with his personal demons over the last 3-4 years but by no means does that limit him from making a meaningful comeback... Pavlik needs to get back into the gym, back into the routine and back into the ring and frequently at that. He needs to work with a new trainer, focus on his health and family and get that hunger back. In boxing, we've seen guys make more improbable comebacks, time and time again, and I don't see why Pavlik can't do the same.. he's been given many chances to at least make some headway in the right direction and he's done nothing even if he's physically capable, he's burned so many bridges he's also never been anything but a blue collar worker in there even at his best he went through hell in victory. i havn't seen anything that makes me think he can deal with any of the guys at 168 long enough to break them down and start landing the right hand. even without all of the bull**** he's brought on himself i don't think he'd have a chance to get anywhere near where he was at higher weight classes. he was a gigantic MW with punching power. at 168 he's physically much more ordinary. and on kelly pavlik not taking punishment... other than hopkins he was never really beat up, but he's developed a pattern of taking punishment in victory and defeat for some time now check his fights with zertuche miranda etc. (in fact, i'll shamelessly plug my history section thread on kelly and refer to it) the guy has taken his share of punches. and he's got a style that historically leads to an early peak. sorry, brother, but he's got way to much working against him i'm starting to doubt his abilities to even fight again, nevermind regain his old form he hasn't even cleaned up his problems with drinking

Depends on how serious he is about getting better. Boxing can give him the discipline he needs if he really wants to change. If he's half-hearted about giving up the drink, it'll show in the ring and he'll fail.

Wrong, Pavliks biggest problem will be patience and sticking with the program. He has the tools he just needs to bring them out against the right opponents then he can step back in against the upper class of the division. If only it was that simple. Substance abuse is no joke

I'm always surprised how fight fans are so quick to write a fighter off "as done." Pavlik is still a young man in a sport where guys 3, 5, 10 years older than him are performing at elite levels; he's also not taken an inordinate amout of punishment in his career so he's definitely (Lennox) not a shot fighter. He's struggled with his personal demons over the last 3-4 years but by no means does that limit him from making a meaningful comeback... Pavlik needs to get back into the gym, back into the routine and back into the ring and frequently at that. He needs to work with a new trainer, focus on his health and family and get that hunger back. In boxing, we've seen guys make more improbable comebacks, time and time again, and I don't see why Pavlik can't do the same..

Yes. i love kelly as much as the next guy but he's done in so many different ways

Yes, it's over for Pavlik. He needs to focus on staying sober. Drugs & boxing don't mix. Wrong, Pavliks biggest problem will be patience and sticking with the program. He has the tools he just needs to bring them out against the right opponents then he can step back in against the upper class of the division.

Yes, it's over for Pavlik. He needs to focus on staying sober. Drugs & boxing don't mix.