I guess the dilemma is who he chooses to face. The young prime champ who boosts his reputation or the aging megastar who boosts his bank balance.
I much prefer the Pavlik option, since at the end of the day Jones will still be there afterwards for Calzaghe if he really wants him.
I am however beginning to wonder how keen the Pavlik camp can realistically be about putting him in with Joe. This is a guy with an 0 who is starting to look like the real deal at MW and I don't see why they'd want him to risk it.
Unless I am underestimating Calzaghe's popularity and fame in the US, surely there are even more lucrative fights out there for Pavlik against established US fighters like Winky Wright? I don't really know that much about the likely PPV outcomes of such fights so perhaps someone could tell me?
The boxing fans at the Pavlik - Lockett fight may have cheered when Kellerman floated the idea of a Calzaghe fight to Pavlik, but presumably they are fans of his and are certain that he would win. I'm not so sure Loew, Arum and Pavlik himself would be so certain, and would HBO and even America itself want to risk one of their only remaining P4P guys, who is going to be a huge star if he keeps the wins coming, losing a little of his sparkle by losing to a European fighter like Calzaghe. Pavlik himself said no-one knows who the euros are, so how would it look in the states if he lost to one?
I'm not sure this fight carries very good risk/ reward for Kelly, unless I am wrong and a Calzaghe fight is financially the biggest he can make right now.
A Pavlik-Calzaghe matchup is what America wants to see, especially true boxing fans. Calzaghe should take Jones, who wouldn't be as difficult of a challenge but would be an equal or more payday, let Kelly win another fight, and if he beats Jones see how high and eight figure payday would climb. Joe took along time, longer than many think he should've, to attain big star status, and should IMO capitalize in the form of money with the short window of opportunity he still has.
RJJ and Calz is gonna be a snoozefest
THe real fight is gonna be Joe and Kelly
but knowing chon chon Joe he will rather slap the Over the hill jones because it is less risk.
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