By Mike Cassell, photo by Naoki Fukuda – As the Floyd Mayweather Jr. era comes to a close, it seems fitting that a fighter like Kelly Pavlik 34-0 (30 KO) has emerged. Although he has fought very far above his competition and has done so in an absolutely spectacular fashion, someone often needs to remind this humble young man that he is the recognized undisputed middleweight champion of the world, the 300lb. gorilla of American middleweight boxing..
On Saturday night he went in as a 25 – 1 favorite , returning to the Jersey Shore to face a challenger that most knew didn’t have a chance. It only took Pavlik three rounds to walk through Lockett, forcing trainer Enzo Calzaghe to throw in the towel after Lockett took a knee for a third time against the brutal onslaught of Pavlik. After fighting Jermaine Taylor twice, he earned this fight, but fans know he has only just begun. He still talks like a contender, and maybe that’s what makes him who he is, and it is quite frankly refreshing.
He doesn’t clutter his words, or talk about himself in the third person. There is nothing more annoying for a reporter, than to listen to an athlete talks about himself as if he, himself is not in the room. Pavlik doesn’t need to do that. He stills lives in an 1100 square foot house, and still trains in the same fashion as he always has. This attitude always leaves boxing enthusiast to believe there will be a drop off, like Pavlik knows something that we all don’t. The cold reality is, he does and every time he gets in the ring, he says it loud and clear, without uttering a syllable.
He slipped into the middleweight division quietly, as older champions faded away, but the onus is on Pavlik to clean up a division that has given belts to virtually unknown German fighters, Felix Sturm and Arthur Abraham. Boxing unlike any other sport is completely driven by capitalistic principles. There is no revenue sharing or owners meeting, only PPV numbers and the strength of the gate. For Sturm and Abraham, who are unknown is this country, there is only one way to get known, and that is to fight Pavlik. For Pavlik, taking these belts and defending them, will not make him rich, but will put him in a unique position to wait for the bigger names, or the “money” so to speak, to step up and make a real challenge. The Life that Pavlik leads is so simple and inexpensive, you get the feeling that he has what he needs, and knows what he wants, so expect him to clean up before he “cleans up”.
My uncle had hotel around the corner form Boardwalk Hall, so it is like a second home to me. I can honestly say that after watching hundreds of rounds in that building, and seeing some real “Arturo Gatti” like excitement, Pavlik breathes a new life there that is rare and has never been seen to date. An excitement that leaves every fan with a fulfilled feeling after making the drive and spending the money for decent seats. After he fought Jermaine Taylor the first time, the fans shuffled out of the arena onto the boardwalk, chanting and talking about each shot. They stayed there for hours, fans of Taylor and Pavlik, together, having a great time. I remember thinking, its 2am, the boardwalk is packed, and no one is going home. I had never seen anything like it. The old Boardwalk Hall needed it, our struggling economy needed it, but the fans really needed it. It was something very special.
Saturday night is wasn’t as loud, and it wasn’t as crowded, but after the fight, like old friends who hadn’t seen each other in a while, people stood on the boardwalk, chanting “Kelly” and talking once again about boxing. While other reporters were inside at the after press conference vying for a few words with Pavlik, I was out on the boardwalk engrossed in real conversations with the real people who will decide Pavliks next opponent, the fan.