YOUNGSTOWN, OH (Columbus Day 2008) — Like Christopher Columbus, two-division world champion BERNARD “The Executioner” HOPKINS is about to make a new discovery, courtesy undefeated World Middleweight Champion KELLY “The Ghost” PAVLIK. Pavlik and Hopkins battle in a 12-round light heavyweight rumble This Saturday! October 18, headlining “Unstoppable” — a four-fight pay-per-view extravaganza broadcast live from Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT..
“Bernard is going to discover on October 18 that his new world really is flat … flat on his back,” said Pavlik’s trainer Jack Loew as they broke camp today to head to New York for Tuesday’s news conference at BB King’s in Times Square and then Caesars Atlantic City. “Kelly has had his best training camp ever and he is ready to shiver Hopkins’ timbers from stem to stern. Kelly is prepared to fight Hopkins from the inside and the outside and if he gets the chance to put Hopkins away, he’s going for it, unlike Joe Calzaghe. Kelly has more guts and confidence in himself than Calzaghe and he’s going to ice Hopkins if the opportunity presents itself, and I think it will. Calzaghe is not a dumb guy. He’s fighting Roy Jones instead of Kelly for a reason…self preservation.”
Saturday’s fight is Pavlik’s third in as many different weight classes, all fought within a nine-month period in 2008. He blitzed Jermain Taylor in February winning a unanimous decision in their rematch fought at super middleweight and in his first title defense, knocked out No. 1 middleweight contender Gary Lockett in the third round of their world championship fight last June.
Remaining tickets to Pavlik vs. Hopkins, priced at $700, $500, $350, $200, $100 and $75, can be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster (800) 736-1420 or online at www.Ticketmaster.com.
Promoted by Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, in association with Caesars Atlantic City and sponsored by Affliction Clothing , the Pavlik vs. Hopkins pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Pavlik vs. Hopkins fight week updates, log onto www.hbo.com