Vintage... Pavlik?

[SouthPawHitman]

[billeau2]

haha that's fine

i thought you were just here to be a smart ass and give me a hard time at the outset

I thought that was my job! Ok Pavlik...

A lot of subtle things done well in addition to what has been mentioned. Like a lot of Messican fightars pavlok could mix speeds on his punches and had a great punch selection to compliment changing speeds on his delivery.

his footwork was not designed to be quick, rather to stalk and he did this well, if one looks at his movement it allowed him to set up his punches very well.

Kelly really was his own worse enemy, no crime in losing to Hopkins. Hopkins found a way to time him. Dude had skills, not a gigantic puncher but a big puncher and not as bad defensively as some seem to think.

Rhetorical question: How would it have benefitted pavlik to have faster feet? I can't think of how it would have made him better.

Good fighter verging on coulda been great perhaps.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Loved pavlik until hopkins took his soul and personal demons ruined Pavlik...

I remember first reading about pavlik and watched him a few times as a prospect.. Since he was with top rank, he usually secured a spot on the major cards.. They moved him along nicely, and pavlik kept passing all the tests on his way up the ladder.. The first time he faced a ranked guy was zertuchi and pavlik ko'd him..
Then Miranda was considered a monster after his first fight with abraham and pavlik was chosen to provide a good action opponent for Miranda as hbo was trying to build a taylor-miranda fight.. Pavlik crushed Miranda, and got the taylor, and the rest is history..

Pavlik-taylor 1 was an unforgettable fight..

I really wish pavlik would a have hung around more and not let personal demons consume him.. He left a lot of big money on the table.. Ward, froch, chavez jr, paul Williams, etc

[IMDAZED]

I really liked Pavlik as he was coming up. Enjoyed the McKart fights and you can't say enough about the Miranda and Taylor I performances.

I don't think he was suited for the higher weights. The extra weight made his footwork slower and his power was neutralized a bit by heavier opponents. Taylor fought surprisingly well in their rematch and deserves credit for making it a fairly even affair but Pavlik had no business being anywhere near a 170lb. Hopkins. I guess by the time he went back to 160, the punishment to his body in and out of the ring had taken its toll.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Would have loved to seen pavlik vs ggg

[MRBOOMER]

It's a damn shame he faded so quick. Both Pavlik and Taylor, both the best middleweights after Hopkins looked great, and then went downhill quick.

That's what happens when you don't have defense and then face top level opposition or murderous punchers consistently

[Sugar Adam Ali]

That's what happens when you don't have defense and then face top level opposition or murderous punchers consistently

Especially taylor... He would always back straight up, into the ropes with his hands down everytime.. I watched him as a prospect and knew one day that would be his downfall.

Taylor really didn't face any tough opposition before hopkins, so his flaw never got exploited..

Hopkins exploited in the first fight but too old to really have explosive, damaging punches.. In the rematch I thought taylor fought a lot smarter, and hopkins was always on the defense so he never made taylor go backwards, allowing jermain to hide this flaw.
Winky really exposed Taylor's flaw, but like hopkins, really didn't have the explosive power needed.. Same thing with spinks and ouma..

But pavlik was the first guy that could crack, and he wrecked taylor late in that fight, even though taylor got off to a good start.. But backing up in a straight line with your hands down is a blueprint for disaster

[MRBOOMER]

Especially taylor... He would always back straight up, into the ropes with his hands down everytime.. I watched him as a prospect and knew one day that would be his downfall.

Taylor really didn't face any tough opposition before hopkins, so his flaw never got exploited..

Hopkins exploited in the first fight but too old to really have explosive, damaging punches.. In the rematch I thought taylor fought a lot smarter, and hopkins was always on the defense so he never made taylor go backwards, allowing jermain to hide this flaw.
Winky really exposed Taylor's flaw, but like hopkins, really didn't have the explosive power needed.. Same thing with spinks and ouma..

But pavlik was the first guy that could crack, and he wrecked taylor late in that fight, even though taylor got off to a good start.. But backing up in a straight line with your hands down is a blueprint for disaster

Yeah it was a shame for that to happen. I guess he just figured his natural athleticism would get him through it all.

[billeau2]

Especially taylor... He would always back straight up, into the ropes with his hands down everytime.. I watched him as a prospect and knew one day that would be his downfall.

Taylor really didn't face any tough opposition before hopkins, so his flaw never got exploited..

Hopkins exploited in the first fight but too old to really have explosive, damaging punches.. In the rematch I thought taylor fought a lot smarter, and hopkins was always on the defense so he never made taylor go backwards, allowing jermain to hide this flaw.
Winky really exposed Taylor's flaw, but like hopkins, really didn't have the explosive power needed.. Same thing with spinks and ouma..

But pavlik was the first guy that could crack, and he wrecked taylor late in that fight, even though taylor got off to a good start.. But backing up in a straight line with your hands down is a blueprint for disaster

Taylor was always strong as an ox. It really bothered Hopkins, though I think he beat Taylor twice. Pavlik handled Taylor well, agreed.

Lol with all Hopkins tactics, ability, etc the one thing he would have about as much success as a one legged man at an Azz kicking contest was trying to back big ole raw boned alabama Jermaine up!!

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Yeah it was a shame for that to happen. I guess he just figured his natural athleticism would get him through it all.

Yeah, him and chad dawson would be greats but never had the ring IQ