Pavlik-Rubio likely early next year

According to Rick Reeno at Boxingscene.

The match-up looks better as a rehab assignment than it did when it was first talked about.

 

Good move..the sooner the better...the Hopkins beating might have done more mental/psychological than physical...Rubio is the kind of opponent to bring out the best in Pavlik...

 

Yeah, it's a solid comeback fight.

Reeno said the plan was 2-3 fights before Abraham...which I find interesting if Abraham is struggling to make 160.

I wonder if Arum pushes harder for a Duddy fight sometime next year.

 

now hbo approves that shit?

2 to 3 fights before abraham? seems like arum wanted pavlik to lose badly if it meant he could milk hbo to build him back up against mediocre middleweights.

 

It is the sort of fight Pavlik needs.....a confidence booster alright.....however, Pavlik didn't lose a title in the ring on saturday, and seeing that this defence follows that against Lockett.....what we have is two very weak defences on the trot

 

Pavlik-Abraham is Arum's mirage in milking HBO for three more paydays next year. I don't believe that fight's happening anytime soon, if ever at all (at least not at 160).

The only thing I ask is that if Pavlik's 2009 campaign will be spent facing mid-level middleweights, then David Lopez finally gets a fuckin' title shot.

 

I really thought HBO would put together one of their patented doubleheaders on Jan. 21st (?) with Pavlik/Rubio and Abraham/TBA to set up the big fight for the early summer. I understand Pavlik doesn´t want a shattered chin on top of his shattered confidence, but two or three fights. Gimme a break. :stir:

 

yeah seriously two or three fights before facing Abraham... :notallthere:


I don't think Abraham will be a middleweight for that long.

 

Kelly will murder this poor kid, this is as big a mismatch as they come.

I saw him in person at the Juan Diaz-Billy Irwin fight after he had been destroyed by Kofi in about a minute, and he is way too frail to even be competitive with Pavlik.

If you like to see brutal knockouts and someone get hurt really bad, this fight is for you then.

 

dsimon writes:

:bears: ::

 

I'm not one for mis-matches but as a Pavlik fan I think this is just the kind of fight he need to get his confidence back after being schooled by old man Hopkins.

 

I hear what you are saying, but I don't think this will hurt Kelly's confidence as he is such a headstrong, determined kid.

He is a terrific young fighter who went up against one of the All-Timers who happened to have his best night as a pro and Hopkins is simply an amazing athlete.

Kelly actually reminds me a lot of the young Hopkins when Bernard was a feared winger who could tear your head off with one shot, and even moves a lot like him with similar rhythm to his attack.

Pavlik will be back, and I don't see anyone on the horizon beating him as long as he stays at middleweight.

 

While I don't think anyone at 160 will beat Pavlik, I do think things are gong to be tougher for him now after the Hopkins fight. You know everyone he fights will be studying that tape and trying to take something from that and apply it to their fight. I don't think anyone can do exactly what Hopkins did, but the blueprint is there.

 

pavlik is a big middleweight and i can't see him staying there much longer. he should milk another title defense or two, then fight for a title at 168.

i'd keep him away from kessler though.

 

Agree.

It's nice for Pavlik that he gets to take care of two birds by fighting Rubio--getting a sure win and taking care of a mandatory.

And, of course, it should be a doubleheader, as you point out.

The fight has already lost some luster with Pavlik's loss. If Abraham or Pavlik loses again, the fight will mean FAR less. Since Pavlik will probably get a highlight reel KO against Rubio and Abraham will probably do his regular beatdown, they should then fight each other next for the $$$.

 

This fight should really be on Showtime...or Versus....or a ppv undercard....or god forbit, network television.

It should not be an HBO main event.

 

We need a 'yawn' smilie. steve_dave, get on it.

 

Can you post one? I'll add it when I get home

 

Im not doing your work for you! fft::flip:

 

It's a lot more like an HBO main event than a Showtime main event these days.

 

Maybe a SHO undercard.::

Every once in a while, though, Showtime schedules a clunker because a promoter needs a slot that HBO isn't offering.

 

Enough with this bullshit of 2-3 more fights! After Rubio, Pavlik should be fighting Abraham! PERIOD!

Looks like Arum isnt so sure about Kelly beating Abraham, so he's milking him for all he's worth against bums.

 

Agreed.

These USA fighters need to toughen up and stop avoiding the real challenges that exist across the pond. :crafty:

 

I could care less about Rubio and Pavlik. Although after being exposed by Hopkins Kelly needs a soft touch.

 

artie:

 

Typical Gatti response

 

Yeah, cause Pavlik didn't just fight an all time great fighter in Hopkins. Nope, he's fighting bums. ::

He fights Miranda, and then Taylor twice, takes a mandatory(Gimme) and then fights Hopkins. What a bum beater.

 

I dont have a problem with him fighting Rubio in his fight back to 160. But after Rubio, I dont wann see him fight a bum like Andy Lee, or a Duddy, or both in a row. Pavlik-Abraham should be happening before summer of 09. At this rate, that shit aint gonna happen til 2010!

 

Yeah, but as the middleweight champ, for over a year, he hasn't exactly defended that title against a lot of middleweights....let alone deserving ones.

There are circumstances with that...Taylor wanted the rematch above 160, and there weren't a whole lot of good options at 160 for his last fight - especially when Arum has expressed little interest in a Wright fight.

Still, as the middleweight champ...defenses against Lockett and Rubio isn't all that much.

He is active, though, and overall from the Miranda fight onward he's fought a high level of opposition.