dsimon writes: The bottom 1/3 of the article. Another article had said the same thing. Maybe thats why he didn't crack as much! http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AgAKnP6yrqunt4o20t.Jv2yUxLYF?slug=ki-pavlik021608&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
This Never Occured to REED but it Makes Sense...Pavlik Seemed More Content w/TOUCHING Taylor than Hitting him w/BOMBS... Still, his WORKRATE Didn't Dip All that Much, which is ADMIRABLE Considering his Hands... REED
C'mon, do we need to start with the excuses? It more likely that Pavlik didn't remove Taylor from his sense, because Jermain actually entered the ring with somethis time. He covered up and blocked Pavlik's most dangerous (only?!) punch from the outside - the right hand. Kelly could just do little more than shuffle after a defensive minded Taylor and stuff the jab and 1-2 into his gloves, while Jermain did little other than try to survive. Hands? It's always the hands. Or the legs. Or the socks. Or the colon. Or the shellfish. It's never "well, I'm just not that versatile and the other guy didn't want to fight"
Tam - I've been saying that it's because Taylor seemed a bit more savvy than normal, and negative too, doing a lot of surviving like you said. However, you could see quite plainly, Pavlik purposefully not putting a lot into his shots. Partly because there simply weren't the same openings as in the first fight, but maybe he hurt his hands too, it makes sense.
And maybe because early on in the fight, Taylor was landing the counter right over his slower jab? This was the second fight, remember. In the first fight, Pavlik himself nearly went out, so it's only to be expected that he fights with a bit more caution than the last time. I didn't see an issue with his hands at all. Particularly in the last couple of rounds when he actually started to try and turn the heat up and began landing to the body. Hands shmands.
on the contrary, pavlik is exactly the guy who would NOT mention it. taylor's the guy who claims to have won a fight he clearly lost.
dsimon writes: Pavlik did mention it. He just did not use it as an excuse I definitely think, as I said in the predictions thread that both guys would be/were more tentative. It is perfectly logical, neither guy wanted to get hit as much, nor should they want to get hit as much. There is something to be said for fighting smart. I think you are a little hard on Pavlik. I respect your opinion and I think there are guys that have a style that is more like physical chess but Merchant is spot on when he credits Pavlik with finding a way to keep the pressure on. Pavlik wins fights doint this... It may not be sexy, it may not look as exciting or as elegant as Toney setting up a counter shot, or Jones leaping in, but it pays dividends and it worked as it should against Taylor. Pavlik is in fact a very smart fighter who deliberatly pressures his opponents into making mistakes and tuckering out in the later rounds. He fought Taylor absolutely like he should have. He did not take unnecesary punishment and forced Taylor into a situation where he could not come through in the championship rounds. And lets not forget the little touches like that awesome body shot in the tenth (or eleventh?) round. Pavlik had no reason to look impressive against Taylor. he was the champion and was there to not be beat. He was not the challenger looking to take a belt away from Taylor. He fought like a champion and took care of business.
Huh???:dunno: U Sound like it's IMPOSSIBLE for a Fighters HANDS to Compromise his Performance... Stranger Things HAVE Happenend, U Know???... Besides That, Pavlik is a Stand-Up, HONEST Guy...When Taylor Dropped him N the 1st Fight, Pavlik NEVER Minimized how HURT he was...By that Token, if he Said his Hand(s)were Hurt, REED BElieves him... REED
