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Arthur Abraham
Edison Miranda
Joe Calzaghe
Jeff Lacy
Lucian Bute
Carl Froch
Mikkel Kessler
Vernon Forrest
Felix Sturm
Winky Wright
Sakio Bika
Anthony Mundine
Librado Andrade
Bernard Hopkins
That's a rough copy of a list of opponents I think Kelly Pavlik COULD actually fight. Doubt he fights most of them. Don't think AT ALL that he'll fight the majority of them. Nonetheless, he has PLENTY of options. Provided he doesn't look bad in his return with Taylor. (Since he'll still be a world champion, either way)
I've broken down the list into three sections. People He'll Beat, Toss Up Matches and People He'll Lose To. This is obviously just my opinion and I can understand if every disagrees. Nonetheless, here goes.
..People He'll Beat...
Sakio Bika, Librado Andrade, Edison Miranda, Jeff Lacy, Vernon Forrest, Anthony Mundine.
With Sakio, he just outclasses him. He would keep him at range until a big shot, mid-fight would put him down. The main reason I'd want to see him and Andrade would be to see if the power of Pavlik could finally crack that iron jaw of Librado's. I doubt it. The Miranda rematch is in here, strictly for entertainment purposes. At this point, there is no reason to assume that the return would go any different. Lacy is a shell of his former self, nonetheless, it'd be a big name to add to the list for Pavlik. Forrest, though more skilled is PROBABLY outsized. Still, it'd be a very good fight. Mundine is good at a lot of things, but not really GREAT at any one particular thing. Whereas Pavlik is good at a lot of things, and GREAT with power shots. That wins it.
..Toss Up Matches...
Bernard Hopkins, Winky Wright, Arthur Abraham, Felix Sturm, Lucian Bute, Carl Froch.
He has a decent change beating these guys or losing to them in my opinion. Obviously, nonetheless I don't want people thinking I can't make up my mind. Hopkins is old, CLEARLY, lol, and it's hard oto say exactly what he has left. Until he faces someone other than a guy like Wright, I can't really say. With Wright, read Hopkins and reverse the names. Abraham, is overrated to me BUT who's to say by how much? Perhaps he deserves the praise. Sturm has lapses sometimes, but in his biggest fights, seems to pull it out. Good fundamentals. Does a lot of things right and can take a decent punch. His problem is that he can't punch. Bute is a bit unknown to me. So I didn't want to sell him short or jump on the bandwagon too soon. Regardless, I've heard some good things. Carl Froch is about the same as Bute, though I've seen Froch fight 4 or 5 times.
..People He'll Lose To...
Joe Calzaghe, Mikkel Kessler.
I just can't see him beating either of these guys. Calzaghe has too much movement. He's a bit bigger then what Pavlik would be used to, so he could get that respect out of him and he's also throwing combinations. Solid chin and defense, so it's a tough night for Pavlik even if he manages to win. I'd go with Calzaghe. Kessler is more of the same. A bigger, strong, fast guy. Great fundamentals and even more, is a bit stronger than Calzaghe. I don't see Pavlik beating him.
By the way, before people try to say I'm selling him short. Here's something to think about. His record at this moment stands at 32-0-0. If he beat all the guys I think he would, won half of the toss up fights, and lost to half. Then Kessler and Calzaghe. His record would still be.. 41-5-0. That's actually a pretty good record, if you're looking at this line-up.
Your thoughts, opinions, critiques, personal ideas on the subject.....
Edison Miranda
Joe Calzaghe
Jeff Lacy
Lucian Bute
Carl Froch
Mikkel Kessler
Vernon Forrest
Felix Sturm
Winky Wright
Sakio Bika
Anthony Mundine
Librado Andrade
Bernard Hopkins
That's a rough copy of a list of opponents I think Kelly Pavlik COULD actually fight. Doubt he fights most of them. Don't think AT ALL that he'll fight the majority of them. Nonetheless, he has PLENTY of options. Provided he doesn't look bad in his return with Taylor. (Since he'll still be a world champion, either way)
I've broken down the list into three sections. People He'll Beat, Toss Up Matches and People He'll Lose To. This is obviously just my opinion and I can understand if every disagrees. Nonetheless, here goes.
..People He'll Beat...
Sakio Bika, Librado Andrade, Edison Miranda, Jeff Lacy, Vernon Forrest, Anthony Mundine.
With Sakio, he just outclasses him. He would keep him at range until a big shot, mid-fight would put him down. The main reason I'd want to see him and Andrade would be to see if the power of Pavlik could finally crack that iron jaw of Librado's. I doubt it. The Miranda rematch is in here, strictly for entertainment purposes. At this point, there is no reason to assume that the return would go any different. Lacy is a shell of his former self, nonetheless, it'd be a big name to add to the list for Pavlik. Forrest, though more skilled is PROBABLY outsized. Still, it'd be a very good fight. Mundine is good at a lot of things, but not really GREAT at any one particular thing. Whereas Pavlik is good at a lot of things, and GREAT with power shots. That wins it.
..Toss Up Matches...
Bernard Hopkins, Winky Wright, Arthur Abraham, Felix Sturm, Lucian Bute, Carl Froch.
He has a decent change beating these guys or losing to them in my opinion. Obviously, nonetheless I don't want people thinking I can't make up my mind. Hopkins is old, CLEARLY, lol, and it's hard oto say exactly what he has left. Until he faces someone other than a guy like Wright, I can't really say. With Wright, read Hopkins and reverse the names. Abraham, is overrated to me BUT who's to say by how much? Perhaps he deserves the praise. Sturm has lapses sometimes, but in his biggest fights, seems to pull it out. Good fundamentals. Does a lot of things right and can take a decent punch. His problem is that he can't punch. Bute is a bit unknown to me. So I didn't want to sell him short or jump on the bandwagon too soon. Regardless, I've heard some good things. Carl Froch is about the same as Bute, though I've seen Froch fight 4 or 5 times.
..People He'll Lose To...
Joe Calzaghe, Mikkel Kessler.
I just can't see him beating either of these guys. Calzaghe has too much movement. He's a bit bigger then what Pavlik would be used to, so he could get that respect out of him and he's also throwing combinations. Solid chin and defense, so it's a tough night for Pavlik even if he manages to win. I'd go with Calzaghe. Kessler is more of the same. A bigger, strong, fast guy. Great fundamentals and even more, is a bit stronger than Calzaghe. I don't see Pavlik beating him.
By the way, before people try to say I'm selling him short. Here's something to think about. His record at this moment stands at 32-0-0. If he beat all the guys I think he would, won half of the toss up fights, and lost to half. Then Kessler and Calzaghe. His record would still be.. 41-5-0. That's actually a pretty good record, if you're looking at this line-up.
Your thoughts, opinions, critiques, personal ideas on the subject.....
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