Some people think the Pavlik vs. Hopkins fight was fixed

[Kris Silver]

Here's one example from here:

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217224&highlight=fixed

There's similar ones in ESB, boxrec's "current scene", and elsewhere.

Tunney one newly created ALT account clearly only to hate at Hopkins and take away from the win, does not = people. It even says in the sig, fixing fights since 2003. Everyone in that thread also disagreed and said everyone struggles to hit Hopkins and said as much.

To be honest, I'm not impressed with this thread of yours now on the matter as it suggests you credit it somewhat. Your motives are for Pavlik, it all seems a bit coincidental leaving one thinking that it may be YOUR ALT account.

[SkillspayBills]

Of course if Pavlik had won, Tunney would have railed against people saying people just wanted the white man to lose so they are complaining. SHUT THE **** UP you waste. Hopkins won fair and square and who in their damn mind would throw a fight for BERNARD HOPKINS!?!?

[STEELHEAD]

I see on various websites, including this one, that some people think the Pavlik vs. Hopkins fight was fixed.

What do you think?

Pavlik didn't look to be trying too hard by times, wasn't throwing many punches, but I thought he was just having a bad night.

pav was in the toughest fight of his life and took the easy way out and settled with not trying to cope with bernards outstanding, shocking gameplan.
pav still got the same amount of fortune and still has his belt.millions of dollars! won't go as far as saying it was fixed but i am thinking the ununspiring performance permanently damages pavliks statis!
while he sheepishly deposits millions in his bank account!

to hell with my thoughts of pav standing up to kessler!

[stickandmove12]

I am huge Pavlik fan and to think that he would agree to throwing a fight is absurd. He got beat fair and square Hopkins out worked him all night. Pavlik didn't think his hand speed would be as great as it was and he thought that Hopkins because of old age would tire around the 5th or 6th round which he did not. Props to Hopkins, but I'm looking for the ghost to make a comeback.

[S.G.]

there would be no sense in fixing it so that Hopkins wins anyway... ridiculous accusations

[bsrizpac]

I was at the fight last night: Notes

A couple of notes and thoughts from last night:

-The arena was packed and the atmosphere was great. All weekend in Atlantic City everywhere you went you saw Pavlik and Youngstown /Ohio shirts. People were pumped and you could tell it was fight weekend.

-Most of the Pavlik fans looked and tended to act like UFC fans (not MMA fans).

-The Pavlik and "b-hug chants" were going on all night started with the undercard. The undercard was decently packed. I noticed a lot of people buying walk up tickets but I guess that's the advantage of having a fight right on the boardwalk.

-By round 4 a lot of the crowd had turned and by round 6 till the end huge B-hop chant had broken out.

-Anywhere you were in the arena you were surrounded by Pavlik fans. The guys behind me were particularly vulgar chanting a lot of trash out about Hopkins and even by round 7 saying that Pavlik was "laying a trap". By the end of the 6th and 7th round I saw Pavlik go back to his corner with his head down and shoulders down. From what I can see this always means a fighter is done. So I yelled out "pavlik is done" (of course I was correct). This really pissed off a lot of the Pavlik fans around me and they started screaming a lot of trash. It was a lot of fun.

-A group of Pavlik fans after the fight were yelling that hopkins "held" and "ran". The old ladies in front of me were pretty upset as they were cheering pavlik the whole time.

-A TON of Pavlik fans left by round 10. Including the clowns behind me. A lot of people stayed and seemed to suddenly be rooting for Hopkins. Tons of "B hop" "Executioner" and "overrated " chants.

-The undercard bored most of the fans in the audience but I though the action was pretty interesting.

-I got to talk to Larry Merchant and Stewart Ringside after the fight. Both were very nice. Merchant said to a few of us fans "I always though this was a possibility. But did I predict it? No. No one could have because despite the style difference no one knew how much Hopkins had in the tank."

Merchant also mentioned that he thought "This win makes the Joe Calzaghe fight more interesting. He should get credit for that win (I think he meant Joe). However I think his status will be blown out of proportion after this fight".

Stewart also made some similar comments also talking about how the fight played out.

I also got to give Merchant props for the Lennox Lewis interview after the Vitali fight. Funny enough he denied remembering doing it so I described it, to which Larry said "I'm too old, I forget everything". Larry is a funny guy, and it's hard to tell if he was messing with me or genuinely did not remember. Either way one of my favorite boxing interviews of all time.

As for the fight breakdown a few notes:

-Hopkins did not beat Pavlik with speed. He timed him. Pavlik gave a "tell" whenever jabbing (the bow and arrow with the right hand) that allowed him to counter with the right hand over the top all night. Pavlik had no answer for this at all. By the mid round Hopkins was able to tee off because he had broken Pavliks will and mentality by then.

-Hopkins was turning Pavlik all night. In fact at times he would hold and turn him. But Pavlik had no idea how to stop a guy turning him that severely.

-Hopkins also was bouncing off the corner ropes much as he did against Tito. He would get trapped near the corner, go off of the left rope, bounce against the right back to the left, and spin out of danger. Excellent stuff.

-Pavlik deserves credit for finishing that fight. He's a tough guy. That was a mental beating and an iron breaking of wills type fight. From my experience not the kind of fight that most fighters ever come back from 100 percent or even close to it. Bad idea to take this fight at this point in his resume.

-Roy Jones, Hopkins, Lampley were all very nice in person. It was a pleasure to meet them.

-There were a TON of hot chicks in the arena. It was unbelievable. A lot of people dressed in suit jackets and girls in ****tail dresses.

There's more but I'm exhausted from being up all night partying. Great fight. Great night. Props to both fighters.

[Gareth Ivanovic]

No way was the fight fixed. If you've watched Hopkins before especially recently he's not easy to figure out or hit. Then consider that Kelly's not really that fast and seemed to not have much a gameplan after his intial plan didn't work. It was just not a good style matchup for Pav and Bernard exectued his plan to perfection.

[Kris Silver]

A couple of notes and thoughts from last night:

-The arena was packed and the atmosphere was great. All weekend in Atlantic City everywhere you went you saw Pavlik and Youngstown /Ohio shirts. People were pumped and you could tell it was fight weekend.

-Most of the Pavlik fans looked and tended to act like UFC fans (not MMA fans).

-The Pavlik and "b-hug chants" were going on all night started with the undercard. The undercard was decently packed. I noticed a lot of people buying walk up tickets but I guess that's the advantage of having a fight right on the boardwalk.

-By round 4 a lot of the crowd had turned and by round 6 till the end huge B-hop chant had broken out.

-Anywhere you were in the arena you were surrounded by Pavlik fans. The guys behind me were particularly vulgar chanting a lot of trash out about Hopkins and even by round 7 saying that Pavlik was "laying a trap". By the end of the 6th and 7th round I saw Pavlik go back to his corner with his head down and shoulders down. From what I can see this always means a fighter is done. So I yelled out "pavlik is done" (of course I was correct). This really pissed off a lot of the Pavlik fans around me and they started screaming a lot of trash. It was a lot of fun.

-A group of Pavlik fans after the fight were yelling that hopkins "held" and "ran". The old ladies in front of me were pretty upset as they were cheering pavlik the whole time.

-A TON of Pavlik fans left by round 10. Including the clowns behind me. A lot of people stayed and seemed to suddenly be rooting for Hopkins. Tons of "B hop" "Executioner" and "overrated " chants.

-The undercard bored most of the fans in the audience but I though the action was pretty interesting.

-I got to talk to Larry Merchant and Stewart Ringside after the fight. Both were very nice. Merchant said to a few of us fans "I always though this was a possibility. But did I predict it? No. No one could have because despite the style difference no one knew how much Hopkins had in the tank."

Merchant also mentioned that he thought "This win makes the Joe Calzaghe fight more interesting. He should get credit for that win (I think he meant Joe). However I think his status will be blown out of proportion after this fight".

Stewart also made some similar comments also talking about how the fight played out.

I also got to give Merchant props for the Lennox Lewis interview after the Vitali fight. Funny enough he denied remembering doing it so I described it, to which Larry said "I'm too old, I forget everything". Larry is a funny guy, and it's hard to tell if he was messing with me or genuinely did not remember. Either way one of my favorite boxing interviews of all time.

As for the fight breakdown a few notes:

-Hopkins did not beat Pavlik with speed. He timed him. Pavlik gave a "tell" whenever jabbing (the bow and arrow with the right hand) that allowed him to counter with the right hand over the top all night. Pavlik had no answer for this at all. By the mid round Hopkins was able to tee off because he had broken Pavliks will and mentality by then.

-Hopkins was turning Pavlik all night. In fact at times he would hold and turn him. But Pavlik had no idea how to stop a guy turning him that severely.

-Hopkins also was bouncing off the corner ropes much as he did against Tito. He would get trapped near the corner, go off of the left rope, bounce against the right back to the left, and spin out of danger. Excellent stuff.

-Pavlik deserves credit for finishing that fight. He's a tough guy. That was a mental beating and an iron breaking of wills type fight. From my experience not the kind of fight that most fighters ever come back from 100 percent or even close to it. Bad idea to take this fight at this point in his resume.

-Roy Jones, Hopkins, Lampley were all very nice in person. It was a pleasure to meet them.

-There were a TON of hot chicks in the arena. It was unbelievable. A lot of people dressed in suit jackets and girls in ****tail dresses.

There's more but I'm exhausted from being up all night partying. Great fight. Great night. Props to both fighters.

Awesome fight notes and insight bsrizpack. Green K right there, one of the best posts I've seen from you and on this fight.

[Two Clips]

The fight wasn't fixed and it's a shame that some folks won't give the legend in Bhop his respect, I'm glad it's a small few because the accusation is ridiculous. I like Pavlik and I'm interested in where this leaves him...Bhop set the blueprint to beat him and you best believe that every other person he fights is going to use footwork and handspeed to beat the kid. All someone has to do is keep turning this kid and showing him different angles and it's a done deal. I'm not sure if anyone can execute it like Bhop or if Kelly can learn from the experience and do some things different next time...I guess only time will tell. I hope RJJ wins because IMO there is not going to be anyone out there that will want to take on Bhop and run the risk of looking like and amatuer.

[Low Blow Armo]

No doubt about it. Pavlik looked as if he wasnt even interested in throwing one punch.