By James Slater: Former middleweight king Kelly Pavlik will have his second fight under new trainer Robert Garcia on June 8th in Las Vegas. “The Ghost” has told Vindy.com that as soon as the contract for his fight with Scott Sigmon arrives, he will sign it.
The two were originally supposed to fight tomorrow night (April 14th, on the Brandon Rios-Yuriorkis Gamboa card that has become Rios-Richard Abril) – but Pavlik says he never actually agreed to the fight, nor did he even see a contract. This angered Sigmon, who says “I didn’t like the fact that Kelly Pavlik was trying to say that I was a liar, making the fight up to get famous.”
Sigmon DID sign a contract to fight Pavlik on April 14th, but the fight is now re-set for June 8th at The Hard Rock in Vegas – at least it will be when Pavlik signs on the dotted line. And what we have now is a genuine grudge-match, between two fighters who have angered one another.
“I can guarantee you it’ll be my first priority,” Pavlik said with regard to signing the contract. “I want that fight. I guess he [Sigmon] upset Top Rank and Cameron Dunkin pretty good. I will tip my hat to him – he did a helluva job self-promoting. Nobody would have heard of him without that. At the same time, some of the things he said really upset me.
“It’s one thing to say you think I ducked you or that I’m a coward. But he turned it into a personal level. Mark my words – this is one of the biggest fights I’ve ever wanted.”
Now campaigning as a 168-pounder, 30-year-old Pavlik, 38-2(33) will look to collect his third win since returning to the ring from a spell in rehab. A new fighter under Garcia, Pavlik looks to have too much for Sigmon, 22-3(12) – on paper, that is.
Sigmon really wants this fight, he sounds hugely motivated for it and he is a tough, durable (never-stopped) fighter. “It’s not my life accomplishment to get in the ring with Kelly Pavlik,” Sigmon said, “My life accomplishment will be to beat Kelly Pavlik.”
And Sigmon, known as “Cujo,” is younger than Pavlik at age 25 and he has fought as high as 178-pounds in the past; maybe he will be stronger and hit harder than Pavlik is anticipating? Set for ten-rounds, I have a feeling this one will go the limit. Pavlik is looking towards one day challenging for and winning a major belt at super-middleweight. Sigmon, who has won his last six, doesn’t sound like a guy who will go quietly, however.
For Sigmon, June 8th will present him with the fight of a lifetime. For Pavlik, June 8th will be a date he can ill afford to slip up on.