Same. It would have been nice to see him make another little run but he wouldn't have beat anybody in the upper echelon.
Yes, great idea Kelly. Retire from the brutal sport of boxing to preserve your long term health by beginning the next chapter of your life that will undoubtedly include ballooning up to a healthy 240 or 250 lbs and returning to your first love of blinding alcoholism. The absolute best health choice for a guy like Pavlik is to stay motivated, box until he's 40 and take a few batterings. I wish him luck.
In all seriousness the guy is battling alcoholism and depression. He's not really retired. He's just having mood swings. The Ward fight got scrapped and he just said fuck it and "retired". He will take some time off and come summer he will un retire fight some bum and will end up fighting Ward in the fall when he realizes it's good money and he needs it .
He's lucky Ward hurt his shoulder. He would have received a terrible beating prior to his retirement. Good luck to Kelly though. Very good offensive fighter who was flawed, and burnt out very quickly. His career was ultimately a huge disappointment. However, he did provide us with some excitement, and his first fight with Taylor will go down as one of the best fights of the 00's.
NO SHIT! You honestly think his people believed he had any realistic chance? PRIME Pavlik would have zero chance against Ward. What kinda chance would washed up Pavlik have had? It would have been a replay of Mayweather-Gatti.
Sad to See Pavlik sooooo BITTER & JADED on the Back End of his Career, but the BUSINESS Side of Boxing has Been Known to Do that to a Motherfucker...Pavlik Couldn't Resist Mentioning his Top Rank Stablemate, Manny Pacquiao, in a NEGATIVE Light (which ISN'T a 1st, Either...) REEDathetic:
I have a bad feeling about Pavlik future.....I hope 12-18 months from now we are not reading about his passing..
Hatton was no longer in his prime against Pac anyway. Would it have mattered if he was? No, not really. The fight would have lasted a bit longer, and Hatton would have been a bit more competitive, but Pac still would have starched him. Just saying, his fast/unhealthy lifestyle was def a factor in his decline. Overall though, Hatton accomplished more than Pav, and had a longer prime.
:ant:as he talk shit to the wrong person and ends up with a knife in his throat.... OR put a shotgun in his mouth....
I envision some crazy Davey Moore shit happening to Pavlik where he's changing a tire on his Izusu Pup while slamming a can of Natural Ice & runs himself over.
That's exactly the reaction I had to this news. I don't believe he had a chance at Ward, and maybe his handlers didn't either, but I am disheartened to hear from the fighter himself that basically he was done with fighting even with the Ward fight ON.
I'm honestly surprised Pavlik didn't retire right after the Martinez fight. Be that as it may, I wish KP nothing but the best. I hope he keeps himself together and just lives a normal life because alcohol ruins even the best of em. I never doubted the Ward fight was a cash out but this retiremement right here more or less confirms it. Pav's career was disappointing because he was supposed to bring excitement to boxing but he just made some bad decisions. Hopefully he makes the right ones in retirement.
Me and Kelly Pavlik in 2005. What a great guy he was! Good luck with your retirement, Champ!http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/34584_111485472235665_167509_n.jpg Yeah and I agree, but Kelly was one of the nicest fighters I have ever met.
I don't think the article mentioned that nasty staph infection that put him on the shelf for quite awhile either. I hope he doesn't piss everything away, but he' still talking like a victim while most of his tribulations over the years have been self-inflicted. He's seems like a really paranoid guy. I'd wager he grows into a bitter old fuck that's just a chore to be around.