30-year-old Pavlik is now 39-2(34). 25-year-old Sigmon, who was stopped for the first time in his pro career, is now 22-4(12).
For round after round after round, the taller, more powerful and just plain superior Pavlik did as he pleased against Sigmon. Before the fight, the two had nothing but animosity towards one another and it was real, as opposed to mere hype. Pavlik vowed to “hurt this kid,” and hurt him he did. Raking an advancing Sigmon with left jabs, straight right hands, left hooks and uppercuts to the chin from both sides, Pavlik also dug in a number of hurtful shots to the body..
It wasn’t long before Sigmon’s face was a bloody mess and his nose was busted. The fight was a graphic display of what usually happens when a world class fighter gets in there with a top-class club fighter. Pavlik, as he later said, won every second of every round. Usually, when a known banger like a Pavlik fails to flatten the limited opponent in front of him, the thinking is either: Pavlik’s power is not what it once was (up at 168 compared to his days as a middleweight) or the other guy simply has a phenomenal chin. But last night’s fight was different: Pavlik (probably) could have put Sigmon down for the count, yet he simply didn’t want to.
Pavlik, letting out all his hatred, all his frustration and all his sheer venom, was enjoying holding Sigmon up and making him pay. On air, Teddy Atlas and co recalled the Ali-Ernie Terrell, “what’s my name” fight; where Ali showed his nasty side by purposely carrying Ernie for his refusal to call him by his new name (instead of his “slave” name of Cassius Clay). Last night, Pavlik did no talking (Sigmon spoke to Pavlik throughout the beating he was taking, however), instead letting his powerful fists do the talking.
Now that this particular grudge-match is over with (and just why Pavlik allowed Sigmon to get under his skin I don’t know; Sigmon cannot be blamed for chasing a big payday the way he went after Kelly, can he?) “The Ghost” will look to move onwards and upwards.
“I’ve been in there with the top dogs, and the next fight we’re going to step up,” Pavlik said post-fight.
Pavlik looked good last night, his second fight with trainer Robert Garcia, as he threw a ton of punches, looked fast and accurate and never once looked tired. Of course, all that had a lot of who Kelly was in there with. Let’s see how Pavlik looks against a top-10 super-middleweight.