Nearly three years ago, Kelly ?The Ghost? Pavlik (36-2, 30 KO) shocked the world with a memorable seventh-round knockout win over middleweight king Jermain Taylor, running his impressive record to 32-0, with 28 knockouts. The bar for success in 2007 was set even higher when Pavlik, a perceived one-dimensional knockout artist, out-boxed Taylor to win a twelve round unanimous decision victory in his next fight.
Before being soundly drubbed in a light heavyweight catch-weight fight by future Hall-of-Famer Bernard Hopkins in October 2008, Pavlik took an easy third-round TKO victory over the outmatched Gary Lockett.
2009 was another year in which Pavlik left boxing fans wanting more. Fights with fellow middleweight titleholders Arthur Abraham and Felix Sturm were passed over in favor of hand-picked fringe contenders. In February, Pavlik scored a ninth-round TKO victory over Marco Antonio Rubio. In December he knocked out light-hitting Miguel Espino in five rounds, opening the door for his next fight with Sergio Martinez.
In April 2010, Martinez mercifully put an end to Pavlik?s lackluster reign as middleweight king, scoring a blood-soaked unanimous decision victory and sending Pavlik back to the drawing board.
Pavlik is now clearly in rebuilding mode, and has moved up to the super middleweight division. He was initially in negotiations to take on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on the undercard of the Pacquiao-Margarito pay-per-view card. When Chavez pulled out, Daniel Edouard and Giovanni Lorenzo were considered as potential opponents. Edouard was dropped from contention after Top Rank learned of a blood pressure problem that caused him to collapse after his last fight in Panama. Lorenzo, who lost his last fight to WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm, turned down Pavlik?s offer.
Pavlik has now finally appeared to settle on Brian Vera (17-5, 11 KO), loser of four of his last five fights, as his November 13, 2010 dance partner. Vera has never been mentioned as a top-flight middleweight contender, and will be at a significant height and reach disadvantage to Pavlik. This fight, for all means and purposes, should be an easy set-?em-up, knock-?em-down, kind of fight for Pavlik.
Pavlik?s style is not one that is suited for highly mobile boxers. He struggles with lateral movement and effective combination punching. When Pavlik was beaten by Hopkins, he was off rhythm the entire night. He blamed it on the move up in weight. When Pavlik was beaten by Martinez, he was off rhythm again, rarely able to set his feet and unload his power shots. Pavlik blamed his performance on his struggles to make the middleweight limit.
Pavlik has been set up with a stationary target that is not known for his power. He has moved up to the super middleweight division, and should have no excuses after this fight. If Pavlik wins impressively on November 13, he should be in place to step up to more meaningful fights in the super middleweight division. If he struggles with or loses to Vera, a career journeyman moving up in weight, it might mean that Pavlik will become a stepping stone for up-and-coming prospects looking to add a name to their resume.
