Pavlik's future is green

If the undefeated boxer can get the WBC title he'll be rolling in money.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- A few days after successfully defending his NABF middleweight title, Kelly Pavlik's future doesn't just look bright.
It looks green.
"If Kelly Pavlik gets a belt around his waist, he is a million-dollar fighter," said Pavlik's trainer, Jack Loew.
Pavlik stopped veteran Bronco McKart on a TKO in 2:45 of the sixth round Thursday night at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., on national television (the Outdoor Life Network).
Pavlik's fifth straight TKO win kept the 24-year-old fighter from Youngstown undefeated.
Loew said that if Pavlik (28-0, 25 KOs) climbs up from No. 2 to No. 1 contender in the WBC rankings when the new ratings list comes out, then he will be eligible to get a championship fight against champion Jermain Taylor (U.S.).
Must fight No. 1 contender
By WBC rules, Taylor will have to fight the No. 1 contender in 90 days or risk being forced to vacate his title.
Taylor's last defense was June 17 in Memphis when he drew with No. 2-ranked Ronald "Winky" Wright (U.S.). The draw enabled Taylor to keep his title.
"Actually now, after talking to Bruce Trampler [Top Rank's chief matchmaker], it seems like it will be up to Jermain Taylor if he wants to fight Kelly," said Loew, also from Youngstown who operates the South Side Boxing Club.
Taylor, however, may have to vacate his WBC title because he is considering a fight against 10th-ranked Sergio Mora in October or November, Loew said. If that happens, Pavlik may fight Wright (the top contender) or No. 3 Sam Soliman of Australia for the WBC title.
"No one wants to fight Kelly because he is a big puncher [unless it is for big money]," Loew said. So, he said, Trampler and [promoter] Bob Arum "want to set up a fight that's going to bring the most money."
Arum also is Top Rank's chief executive officer.
Loew said the biggest-bucks bout would be between Taylor and Pavlik with both entering the ring as champions.
Taylor owns both the WBC and WBO middleweight titles. He won the WBC title in July of last year.
The big-bucks scenario
"If Taylor vacates and Kelly wins the WBC title, then that would set up a mega-bucks title bout between the two champs," said Loew. "Then everyone will come out of the woodwork and want to fight [Pavlik]."
Pavlik, besides being ranked No. 2 in the WBC, also is rated No. 4 in both the WBO and WBA, but is unranked in the IBF.
Loew said big money drives boxing.
"There is no money for Wright to fight Kelly with Kelly not being a champ," said Loew.
The real money-maker, Loew said, would be between Taylor and Pavlik. And that may be what everyone wants.
"Trampler is going to meet with Don Arum this weekend and then give us a tentative direction they are going to go," said Loew, noting that Trampler "has a whole lot to say about what Kelly can do or not do."
Impressive in and out of ring
Loew said Pavlik was impressive in and out of the ring against McKart.
"Kelly threw almost 600 punches in the fight, almost 100 a round," said Loew, and most of them landed and many of them hurt McKart.
Pavlik's longer reach, harder punches and superb conditioning steadily took a toll on McKart, 35, from Monroe, Mich.
In the sixth round, after Pavlik sent McKart to the floor with a nifty combination, McKart actually just fell to the canvass from sheer exhaustion from the second knockdown a short time later, which caused the referee to cease hostilities and give the win to Pavlik.
"McKart came up to me and said, 'Coach, your kid can really punch. He was hurting me all over,' " said Loew
The trainer also noted that Pavlik's followers are growing in numbers.
"He is starting to build a fan base," he said. "He was mobbed after the fight. He speaks so well to the press. The people like him."
kovach@vindy.com