By Ted Sares:
Abraham is going to be shocked in his American debut.
–Edison Miranda
I want to fight the best. People talk and ask about why I am fighting Bernard Hopkins. You’ve got a legend right here. I don’t know about Calzaghe – I guess I would have to shoot him in the foot to get him to stop running from me. All I can tell you is that I will train as hard as I can to get in the best shape that I can be in – for Bernard Hopkins.
–Kelly Pavlik:
Boxing is dangerous.
–Arthur Abraham
Someone’s “O“ must go if these two meet in a big-money showdown, assuming, of course, they get by Bernard Hopkins and the very capable Raul Marquez, respectively, in October. Of course, the bigger assumption is they will face off against one another even if they both win.
Arthur “King Arthur” Abraham, whose real name is Avetik Abrahamyan, is an Armenian born middleweight who fights for Germany and carries duel citizenship. His record is 27-0 and he has a KO percentage of 81.48. Germany fell in love with him when he had his jaw broken in two places against Edison Miranda but continued to fight despite being in great pain. He could not close his mouth and there was blood running down his chin. Still, Abraham toughed it out and won. He was spitting blood, swallowing blood, and seemingly not giving a damn–and that‘s when the love affair with German fans commenced.
Fighting mostly in Germany, “The King” has been an equal opportunity brutalizer beating tough Americans, Australians, fellow-Armenians, Colombians, Canadians, Ghanaians, Nigerians, Slovakians, Argentineans, Uruguayans, fighters from Guyana and the U.K, Poles, Heck, in his first bout, he even beat a German. His recent slaughter of “Pantera” was his American debut and it quickly put him on the radar as an exciting and fan friendly fighter.
Abraham is extremely strong who, while an economic puncher who starts slowly and sometimes gives the false impression of fighting uninspired, launches sudden and explosive bursts that are pure malicious in their intent. His left hook can stop any middleweight (as his recent icing of Miranda and his 12th round KO of American Elvin Ayala showed) and his body work is both punishing and relentless.
Pavlik
By now, the incoming pressure style of orthodox bomber Kelly Pavlik (34-0 with a KO percentage of 88.24) has been well chronicled. How his strong straight right (which often follows his long jab as a lethal one-two) will fare against Abraham remains to be seen. “The Ghost” has never fought anyone like Arthur. Jermain Taylor was/is a strong orthodox boxer with a solid jab, fast hands, and a total command of ring skills. Edison Miranda was/is a bomber who was dismantled by Pavlik, but who gave Abraham fits in their first fight, albeit with multiple head butts, low blows and other assorted mayhem.
Both Hopkins and Marquez will be tough tests for these two Champions. But I see Pavlik getting by Hopkins in an ugly fight (does Hopkins engage in any other kind?) and Abraham brutally stopping the aging Marquez on cuts.
Who wins?
Both have brutal power, solid chins, and have fought excellent opposition, but like Margorito-Cotto (or even the scheduled Katsidis-Diaz fight), the classic paradox of an immovable object meeting an irresistible force may well be present. I see “The Ghost”maintaing his composure, applying more pressure, being busier and even hurting Arthur with his patented right. Whether he can take him out, however, is questionable (if not doubtful) since Abraham is extremely durable and covers up very well. A close UD for Pavlik seems the more likely scenario, but if Arthur should floor Kelly like Taylor did, the fight will end because Abraham does not let his opponents off the hook.
Yes, someone’s “O” will go (unless it’s a draw) and if the fight is in either Atlantic City or Las Vegas, I believe it will be Arthur Abraham’s undefeated record that will be marred. But if, somehow, the fight takes place in Germany, I see the opposite happening. Normally, I don’t place that much importance on location, but this fight is excruciatingly difficult to call (at least for me).
Caveat
How Abraham and Pavlik perform in their October bouts can change the above analysis, which is another way of saying Pavlik and Abraham should get it on now..
Visit the author’s web site at www.tedsares.com