Pavlik eyes win for title shot

Edison Miranda will be Kelly Pavlik’s toughest test to date tonight on HBO.

By JOE SCALZO

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

MEMPHIS — When Top Rank president Bob Arum signed Kelly Pavlik in 2000, he knew the Youngstown power puncher had the type of talent that could one day lead to a title shot.

Now Pavlik is one win away.

“Right now, he’s on track for great things,” said Arum at Friday’s weigh-in at the FedEx Forum in Memphis. “But he’s gotta win this one.”

Pavlik (30-0, 27 KOs) will fight Edison Miranda (28-1, 24 KOs) at approximately 10:15 p.m. tonight in a nationally televised co-feature on HBO. The main event features WBC champion Jermain Taylor, who is fighting Cory Spinks, and will follow Pavlik’s fight.

If Pavlik wins, he should get a shot at that WBC title. Whether it comes against Taylor remains to be seen.

“Kelly’s got a lot of the qualities people are looking for,” said Arum. “He’s a great fighter and he’s a nice kid. The public can relate to that.

“Plus, he can punch like a son of a gun.”

Opinion is pretty split on tonight’s fight. Some believe Pavlik will knock out Miranda. Others believe Pavlik is in over his head.

Pavlik met Taylor before

Pavlik has fought Taylor once before. Just before he turned pro, in February of 2000, Pavlik lost an 11-5 decision at the Olympic Trials in Tampa, Fla. Although he hasn’t lost as a pro fighter, Pavlik knows his career doesn’t depend on going undefeated.

“If you look at the most famous boxers, those guys have four or five losses,” said Pavlik. “But I’m not thinking about losing.”

Pavlik has been itching for a title shot for the past year. (He already holds the NABF title, but the WBC crown is the one he wants.) He thought he’d get a shot at Taylor after knocking out Jose Luis Zertuche in the eighth round of an HBO bout January 27, but he was told he’d need at least one more fight.

If Pavlik wins, Taylor could opt to forfeit the title or move up a weight class. If that happens, Pavlik would likely fight the top challenger for the WBC belt. Then again, if the money’s right, Taylor could opt to fight Pavlik. Considering Pavlik’s punching power, the money would have to be substantial. Taylor likely wouldn’t want to risk getting knocked out.

“There’s still a lot of questions,” said Pavlik. “If the money ain’t right, I don’t think Taylor will do it. I don’t know that HBO will offer enough to do it.”

Good payday

Regardless, Pavlik has a chance at a pretty big payday. He’ll make close to a half-million dollars for tonight’s fight and stands to make a few million if he gets a WBC title shot. His next fight could come around September, he said.

Pavlik already has a big following in Youngstown — “It’s a great town with a terrific boxing tradition,” Arum said — and it could get bigger.

“If he wins his next two fights, believe me, he’ll be one of the top two or three fighters in the world,” Arum said. “Everyone will be talking about Kelly.”

scalzo@vindy.com