1 More Reason to Root for PAVLIK

[ßringer]

I'm more than a casual fan. I dont like watching fights where there's virtually no chance of a knockout. And they're overly concerned with the business asecpt of the sport, I'd fight these guys and go 6 rounds getting my ass kicked for a couple grand, these guys are greedy bastards and have brought the sport down. Kelly Pavlik is fresh air to that.

I can agree with that to a certain extent. I'm a fan of Mayweather and Hopkins' ability to bring opponets down to their pace, but other technical fighters like Wright just bore me to death. I hope Pavlik is able to capitalize on his opportunity on the 29th and make the most of it, he's a guy with the same attitude as Taylor in regards to wanting to fight anybody. But unlike Taylor he's an exciting pressure fighter rather than a slick boxer.

Not the most talented fighter in the division but he's scrappy as hell and fun to watch.

[jai mari078]

Miranda did rock Pavlik a couple of times in the fight and that is a weak a$$ Miranda that didn't eat for three days just to make weight. Taylor's not starving himself and becoming Bulimic for this fight; so it will be a competative and difficult fight for Pavlik. I think people here don't give Taylor his props because his last three fights. Let me just say that 3 south paws in a row who were two pure boxers in Wright and Spinks and a puncher in Ouma is nothing to be shameful about. The fact that Mayweather gets credit for accepting to fight a 140 pounder who in my opinion got beat by Collazo at 147 doesn't make sense if you guys put down taylor for fighting Ouma and Spinks both who are skilled fighters at 154 and gave Taylor a hell of a fight at 160. Kind of hypocritical if you ask me. Hell I'm going for Taylor in this fight.

First of all Ouma is a volume puncher he has never been know for having power. I'm not saying that it'snot solid competiton, but you said it yourself skilled fighters at 154. Ouma was taylor made for Taylor in that he was smaller, had no pop and was gonna come right at him, and eventhough he hit him wityh some good shots Ouma walked through them and kept coming and backing him up. This fight was served up on a platter for him to look good and he couldn't even put Ouma down, much less stop him. Spinks also is a feather fisted, jr middleweight that was smaller and yes has skill but is not an elite fighter, and your whole mayweather theory I completely agree with. Don't even get me started on him. All I am saying is that if he fights the way he did in his last three fights, he could be in trouble. the thing is that Ouma didn't have the power to apply with the preasure, and if he lets vlik back him up and put him on the ropes, he has the power to hurt taylor.

[C.Y.]

What does it matter if you think he's overrated, he's a legimate challenger deserving of a title shot, he gets the regard a fighter in that position does.

Legitimate Challenger:A challenger that has a real chance to win, to win in impressive fashion, to score a KO.

what does it matter to YOU that I think pavlik is overrated?
thats my opinion
i didnt discredit pavlik and say he was garbage or anything
i think he is a decent fighter and can be a challenge to taylor
im just upset with the lack of respect taylor is receiving for this fight
he's pretty much being regarded as the underdog and he's the ****in champion
he's been in the ring and held is own with hopkins twice, winky, ouma, and spinks
the fights may not have been the most exciting but its really difficult to look good fighting those opponents, the last 3 being southpaw, and hopkins and wright being defensive masterminds
im just saying there's no way pavlik should be regarded as the favorite to win
he has only beaten miranda
who's a big puncher but lacks any kind of boxing skills
thats all im saying mr mckay

[Verstyle]

what does it matter to YOU that I think pavlik is overrated?
thats my opinion
i didnt discredit pavlik and say he was garbage or anything
i think he is a decent fighter and can be a challenge to taylor
im just upset with the lack of respect taylor is receiving for this fight
he's pretty much being regarded as the underdog and he's the ****in champion
he's been in the ring and held is own with hopkins twice, winky, ouma, and spinks
the fights may not have been the most exciting but its really difficult to look good fighting those opponents, the last 3 being southpaw, and hopkins and wright being defensive masterminds
im just saying there's no way pavlik should be regarded as the favorite to win
he has only beaten miranda
who's a big puncher but lacks any kind of boxing skills
thats all im saying mr mckay

co-sign.........

[pesticid]

What are yout rhoughts on Taylor's chin? I know Pavlik punches like a beast, but I can't recall Jermain's chin being tested that well. Except for the first Hopkins fight when in the 10th round I think, Hopkins caught him with a straight right that almost put him out. How long do you think Taylor can weather the storm of Pavlik before he subsides? (if it's a brawl that is)

Taylor's chin hasn't been tested much cause he hasn't been in the ring against a puncher. Bernard hurt him but it was more of an accumulation and besides Taylor had a cut and lost a lot of blood so I actually commended him for making it out of the fight without going down. I also scored it for him. Against Winky he was close to being hurt around the ropes but because of his hard flurries, he flurries hard (no dlh or n'dou flurries) and his holding he managed. I had it a draw but he didn't act like a champion. He was the ***** Winky was the dog. He won his fight against Ouma but you don't fight a natural 154 pounder like that. It was pathetic. I watched the first 4 rounds against Spinks and I thought that Cory won at least 3 of them. I turned off the TV and went to sleep. Against Pavlik, he's facing the biggest, busiest and hardest puncher in his career. He's going to lose by TKO unless he holds for 2 and a half mintues each round. I used to like Taylor a lot but I've stated this numerous times. Taylor since his break-up with Pat Burns has been regressing each fight to the point that right now he is unrecognizable. He was a stalking bad ass with a sniper of a jab that kept Hopkins at bay for the first 7 rounds of their first fight. He was throwing mean sound combos. Now he's been reduced to what Vernon Forrest was in his second fight against Mayorga, and he's never been knocked out either.

[pesticid]

what does it matter to YOU that I think pavlik is overrated?
thats my opinion
i didnt discredit pavlik and say he was garbage or anything
i think he is a decent fighter and can be a challenge to taylor
im just upset with the lack of respect taylor is receiving for this fight
he's pretty much being regarded as the underdog and he's the ****in champion
he's been in the ring and held is own with hopkins twice, winky, ouma, and spinks
the fights may not have been the most exciting but its really difficult to look good fighting those opponents, the last 3 being southpaw, and hopkins and wright being defensive masterminds
im just saying there's no way pavlik should be regarded as the favorite to win
he has only beaten miranda
who's a big puncher but lacks any kind of boxing skills
thats all im saying mr mckay

Spinks was a runner against Mayorga. He held and slipped and somehow made it out of the fight. In his first fight against Zab he somehow managed to held his ground I guess that had more to do with Zab. Zab made him run in his second fight and he clocked him hard. Spinks was a little less of a runner against Karmazin and somehow wins narrowly. I thought he did win it by the way. The against Taylor, the 4 rounds that I saw he pretty much held his ground Taylor was backing up as much as Spinks and the fight was at 160. Go figure Taylor out!

[Primal Instinx]

First of all Ouma is a volume puncher he has never been know for having power. I'm not saying that it'snot solid competiton, but you said it yourself skilled fighters at 154. Ouma was taylor made for Taylor in that he was smaller, had no pop and was gonna come right at him, and eventhough he hit him wityh some good shots Ouma walked through them and kept coming and backing him up. This fight was served up on a platter for him to look good and he couldn't even put Ouma down, much less stop him. Spinks also is a feather fisted, jr middleweight that was smaller and yes has skill but is not an elite fighter, and your whole mayweather theory I completely agree with. Don't even get me started on him. All I am saying is that if he fights the way he did in his last three fights, he could be in trouble. the thing is that Ouma didn't have the power to apply with the preasure, and if he lets vlik back him up and put him on the ropes, he has the power to hurt taylor.

I agree with that assessment but I also believe that since Pavlik is a righty it will be easier for Taylor to fight his fight and not worry about a straight left or right hook. Pavlik is strong beyond a doubt and I will give him that but then you also have to give Taylor the edge with fighting the caliber of fighters he has. Hence in this fight I have to go with experience in big fights. To beat someone like Hopkins twice, even if it is disputed, is an accomplishment in itself. Pavlik is no where near as crafty as Hopkins or a defensive master as Winky. I have to go with Taylor with this in mind.

[bengidaro]

That would be so huge for the sport. Let's go Pavlik. The man's a monster. I want him to win like crazy but it'll be damn hard to get through Taylor. Possible but hard. I also agree that up-and-comers should fight on cable.

[shawn_]

The problem with deciding how good a fighter is based on his resume is the fact that you are completely neglecting to analyze the fighter himself.

Trying to make a prediction based on numbers is missing the point of boxing.

On paper, Taylor looks like a really solid fighter. Undefeated, good opponents, decent knock-out percentage.

You have to look past the statistics. Taylor is a fighter that has been VERY carefully managed. His management team has kept him away from power puncher for as long as they realistically could.

They matched him up with GOOD, and I emphasize GOOD, fighters that he could dismantle with his Jab, which is why it was such a prevalent weapon earlier in his career.

His last 3 fights have been against southpaws. This wasn't by accident. Taylors team chose light hitting southpaws because they would have a much harder time capitalizing on his increasingly low left hand.

His management team isn't ******. They fully realize that if Taylor loses, their paychecks get much smaller. Consequently, they have done a very good job of putting him in with GOOD fighters that suit his style.

Unfortunately for Taylor management team, they didn't get to pick Pavlik. Pavlik is not a hand picked opponent, and Taylor will be in for a very hard night.

After being visibly stunned several times against the feather-fisted Cory Spinks, I personally have a very hard time seeing Taylor come out of the fight on his feet.

[Wiley Hyena]

Yes, I agree that Pavlik has a very good chance against Taylor. Taylor comes across as a fighter that's been overprotected. On the other hand, Pavlik came up from the trenches. I'll take Pavlik in a surprisingly easy win.