GHOST DEFENDS AGAINST PUNISHER
New York, NY– A middleweight (160 lb.) showdown between Paul Williams (37-1 27 KOs) and Kelly Pavlik (35-1 31 KOs) has been signed. The two are set to meet on October 3rd in Atlantic City, NJ. We can expect that the match up will surely spark great interest and debates amongst hardcore boxing fans leading up to this fall.
FIGHT GOOD ON PAPER & IN RING
The bout will match two fighters with a combined record of 72 victories with 58 knockouts and only 2 defeats. Both fighters have something to prove and you can bet neither one wants to see another loss on their respective records. This should be one hell of a fight and with the amount of action both fighters are capable of displaying, entertainment is not an option, it’s a given!
MIDDLE- WEIGHT IS A NON-ISSUE FOR PAUL
Paul Williams has won titles at welterweight (147) and Jr. middleweight (154) now is campaigning for a third title in Pavlik’s 160 lb. division. At 6’1”, Williams has the frame of a super middleweight (168) and the range to slim down to welterweight. This truly makes Williams one of the most dangerous opponents north of 140 lbs.
HAS KELLY PAVLIK ALREADY PEAKED?
Pavlik had solid action in 2008, defeating Jermain Taylor in their rematch, and easily beating Gary Lockett. But Pavlik also suffered his first loss last year against Bernard Hopkins’. Since that loss Pavlik has only fought once this year in February but looked average and appeared still a bit shaken by the Hopkins loss four months prior. Against a relative journeyman in Marco Antonio Rubio (43-5-1 37 KOs), you’d expect more from Pavlik but maybe will all things considered, he just might have had a bad night out.
WHO IS THE REAL “DANGEROUS” FIGHTER HERE?
Williams has a solid knock out ratio but definitely doesn’t have as much pop as Kelly. However, Williams has the momentum as he has recently beaten the much-avoided Winky Wright, convincingly. Williams also avenged his only loss to Carlos Quintana, whom he knocked out in the first round of their rematch in June of 2007. Although Pavlik has only been seen against Rubio since his loss to Hopkins he is a volume puncher with power and still will be dangerous. But since Pavlik hadn’t shown any particular improvements of late, there are unanswered questions. Is he the same Pavlik that he was when he was undefeated? Is the key simply out boxing Pavlik? Is it possible for Pavlik to get better? These questions can only be answered on fight night.
PREDICTING WHO WINS AND WHY?
In an early pick, I’m going with Williams because of his more consistent activity. Because of some uncertainty with Pavlik performing well against a top tier fighter, particularly after a loss, I’d make Williams the choice with a close but solid unanimous nod.
Jarrad Woods