BOXING Pavlik gears to fight in front of local fans

ESPN2 will tape delay Tuesday's fight card at Cafaro Field.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Middleweight Kelly Pavlik turned 21 in early April, but since becoming a professional boxer in June of 2000, he has developed a maturity far beyond that age.
"It seems like I have been boxing forever," he said.
It was a love for the sport as a youngster that brought Pavlik to Jack Loew's Southside Boxing Club. That love has not diminished through 98 amateur bouts, of which he won 89, and his 17 consecutive pro wins.
"Goals for me have always been to win a world championship and fight at home as much as I can," said Pavlik. "I am hoping there is a large turnout at Cafaro Field Tuesday night to show Top Rank that the people here support me."
ESPN2 to televise
The Cafaro Field show Tuesday night begins at 8 p.m., and it is being televised for a tape-delay broadcast at 10 p.m. on ESPN2's "Friday Night at the Fights on Tuesday" series.
"They promised me a good bout at home and if the people come out strong Tuesday night there is a good possibility that I could be fighting here more often," said Pavlik.
He hasn't fought since a 6th-round TKO win on March 22 in Las Vegas over Cesar Avila, but with that win a hand injury from two previous bouts became aggravated.
Though weight training and regular roadwork continued, Pavlik took a layoff from gym work as Dr. Lance Ferkula treated the scar tissue.
In late May, Pavlik returned to training under the watchful eye of Loew in preparation for his first 10-round bout with Rico Cason (16-7, 4 KOs), a middleweight from Lebanon, Tenn.
Loew carefully mapped out sparring, but there was a change made after Pavlik came down with a slight case of the flu a week ago.
In preparation
Last Wednesday, Pavlik sparred for seven rounds with Dallas Vargas, a super middleweight with a 10-0 record from Toledo, and Warren's Etianne "E.T." Whitaker, who worked three rounds.
Friday at the Southside Boxing Club, there was a four-round spar with Pavlik and Whitaker that wrapped up the ring training.
Pavlik worked left jabs and straight rights off that jab and several times went to the body with solid left hooks, but the third round was a war with the kind of exchanges that will enthuse the Cafaro crowd Tuesday.
In round four, Pavlik was strong and sharp with good combinations for a good finish as he wrapped up sparring for his match with Cason, a boxer known for going the fight's distance.
"Kelly was a little lackadaisical in the early going," said Loew on Friday, "but once I got on him, he picked up the pace and he was sharp. The best thing about this session is that when I asked Kelly to test his right, he did, and landed some good shots with it."
Added Pavlik: "Early on I felt a little drained because my body was still sore from the 10 rounds I went Wednesday, but I got back in a groove and did some different things with angles that I hadn't done before and it felt good.
"I definitely feel ready for this fight."
Moving forward
The only time Pavlik thinks about his right hand is when he's asked about it. Now, he can't wait for Tuesday night.
"There is just a good feeling about fighting at home in front of a lot of people I know," he said.
Tonight at Antonio's Restaurant in Austintown, there will be a ring girl contest with local celebrities, including Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, participating as judges.
There will be a press conference Monday at Buffalo Wild Wings in Niles at 4 p.m.