Here is boxing writer Keith Idec?s inside look at the sport:
FEATURED FIGHT: Kelly Pavlik vs. Alfonso Lopez. Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs) will fight for the first time since completing treatment for alcoholism. He is on the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley undercard May 7 in Las Vegas. The former middleweight champion will oppose Lopez (21-0, 16 KOs), of Cut and Shoot, Texas, in a 10-round light heavyweight fight, one of four that?ll be televised via pay-per-view. Pavlik, of Youngstown, Ohio, hasn?t boxed since Sergio Martinez outpointed him in a 160-pound title fight a year ago at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Pavlik expects to compete at super middleweight after facing Lopez, who has padded his record against mostly pedestrian opposition.
LOCAL LOOK: SNY on Saturday will replay four of Polish heavyweight contender Tomasz Adamek?s heavyweight wins. Adamek?s victories over Andrew Golota (3 p.m.), Michael Grant (4:30 p.m.), Vinny Maddalone (6 p.m.) and Kevin McBride (8 p.m.) will amount to an Adamek network marathon. Kearny?s Adamek (44-1, 28 KOs) outpointed Boston?s McBride (35-9-1, 29 KOs) on April 9 at Prudential Center in Newark to secure a Sept. 10 title shot against WBC champion Vitali Klitschko (42-2, 39 KOs) at an undetermined site in Poland.
THE FINAL BELL: This is not a joke: Pacquiao, who moonlights as a singer when he?s not boxing or serving as a congressman in the Philippines, released his first single in the United States on Thursday. Pacquiao collaborated with singer/songwriter Dan Hill on “Sometimes When We Touch,” Hill?s hit single from 1977. The Filipino superstar sang the song on ABC?s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last year. Pacquiao?s remake is available at iTunes and amazon.com.
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