13.10.08 By Armstrong Okobia – With a main event that reads the Ghost vs. the Executioner, we may need to put a rating PG on this. On the other hand, we could be exempted as its Halloween season. But is this fight trick or treat? This fight is treat, why? History has shown that fights like this are usually good. Fights that come about because others can’t be made have the tendency to surprise us. How many times have we not seen a late substitute come in and make a fight, better than the original one..
Pavlik couldn’t find anyone to fight. I wonder why? Would you put your fighter against a freakish built middleweight with the punching power of a LHW? I thought not, so apart from mandatories, no major name wants to step into the ring with this ghost unless his name is Casper the friendly ghost.
In comes B-Hop. You have to admire this man whether you are fan or not. There has got to be this crazy death wish of a thing within him that makes him step to the plate when he doesn’t need to. Some say it’s pure guts, others say it’s in the Philly water.
I think we can expect a good fight because both guys futures are dependent on the outcome. For Pavlik, it could solidify him as a major money draw and could coheres those into fighting him who originally had not wanted to simply because the chips on the table are just too much to fold on. For B-Hop, its icing on an already glamorous hall of fame career. Also deep down B-Hop wants to beat Kelly to be able to taunt Taylor and his fans. Don’t know what that will prove, but I guess for B-Hop it means something and that’s enough for him.
Crazy as it may sound, the outcome of this fight will depend on Pavlik. If he can increase the pressure and keep it on B-hop for the entire bout, he is bound to win. Calzghe laid down the blue print. Pressure up, output up equals a win against the aging Executioner. But hold on there is a catch. B-Hop is the master of taking away a fighters main weapon and watching him crumble in the process. We have seen it so many times. The fighter enters this state of fighters shock and is hypnotised into fighting differently, which is usually at a slower pace, which accommodates for B-Hops style which he has adopted later in his career simply because he also realises he can’t fight consistently for 12 rounds long. The strange thing is that every fighter knows this, but once they enter the ring and face him, the same story pans out. With the exception of Calzaghe of course.
So Kelly what will it be? Will you fight your fight and focus on putting pressure on the older man and making him fight at a high output, or will you be suckered into a slow tempo counter punching chess match you’re bound to lose? In any event we will all be tuned in to see if there is any such thing as the boogie man.