Mancini: A ‘perfect fight’

Ray Mancini believes Kelly Pavlik will become boxing’s next “superstar.”

By JOHN KOVACH

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini believes that Kelly Pavlik fought the “perfect fight” in whipping Edison Miranda Saturday night, and that he will become boxing’s next middleweight champion and “superstar.”

But Mancini, a native of Youngstown and the former World Boxing Association middleweight champion who now lives in Santa Monica, Calif., doesn’t think that Pavlik will get to fight reigning champion Jermain Taylor for the World Boxing Council championship.

“I don’t think Taylor will fight him,” Mancini said in a telephone interview Sunday afternoon. “[Trainer] Lou [DiBella] is a friend of mine, [and] they will try to avoid [Pavlik] in every way they can.

“I believe that Taylor will vacate the title and move up a weight class to fight either [Ronald] ‘Winky’ Wright or Bernard Hopkins. He already has beaten Hopkins,” said Mancini.

“Kelly then will have to fight [the No. 3-ranked WBC fighter, Khoren Gevorgyan] or [No. 4 Wright],” or some of the other top-ranked fighters from the WBO, WBA or IBF.

But Mancini actually believes that Taylor would be an easier opponent than other top-ranked fighters.

“[Fighting Taylor] would be easier technically because he is an amateurish fighter with a short jab. He hasn’t really matured as a fighter.”

But, it “would be physically harder. Taylor is a great athlete and has a lot of movement that may give Kelly big problems.”

Took charge from the start

Mancini said Pavlik established himself as master of the ring right from the outset against Miranda, and that the strategy set the stage for his complete domination of the Colombian fighter.

“I thought he absolutely fought a perfect fight,” said Mancini, a South Side native and a graduate of Cardinal Mooney High. His father, Lenny Mancini, the original “Boom Boom,” was a top-ranked contender in the 1940s.

“Their game plan was perfect. He backed the guy up. The first two rounds he started banging him from the get-go.”

Mancini said a strong start is important.

“You have to jump on these guys right away to take their heart away in the first round. [Pavlik] broke [Miranda’s] spirit in the first two rounds. It is just like chopping a tree. You keep chopping and the tree will eventually go down. [Miranda] just couldn’t withstand those constant punches. [Pavlik] just beat him up bad.”

Mancini said that Pavlik challenged Miranda to come out and fight, and left him with no alternative.

“He went out there and established himself in the center of the ring, and made him come to him and fight. He assumed control of the ring,” said Mancini. “He just kept going after him even if he got hit, and he took his heart away.

“[Miranda] was a big favorite to win, so when he backed him up, he took his heart away. He controlled the center ring and pushed him back, and when he comes forward, he will have to fight. Pressure negates speed and quickness. When you are on top of the guy, and you have the guy backing up, you are forcing him to do only one thing — to come in and fight.”

Mancini was happy to proclaim that, “Those first two rounds were the best I have ever seen in a long time.“

Strong believer in Pavlik

Mancini always has been a strong believer in Pavlik’s potential, and has become one of the leaders of Pavlik’s bandwagon.

“He is in position to be the next superstar of boxing. The sport of boxing is crying out for a fresh face and is in need of something new. Boxing is so hungry for something new,” said Mancini, who believes that Pavlik will become champ and one of the most famous boxers ever to enter a ring.

Mancini said Pavlik, who previously defeated Mexican Jose Luis Zertuche, also has the Spanish people behind him.

“The Mexicans and South American Latinos will love him because he has beaten one of their own fighters,” said Mancini, who has learned that from experience. “So he is going to have the Mexicans and Latinos behind him. The latino fight market is the biggest fight market in the world.”

Mancini expects to be on hand for Pavlik’s championship bout, wherever it will be.

“I wasn’t in Memphis to see the fight. I watched it on TV. But I will be at Kelly’s championship. I think it may be held in Las Vegas, Atlantic City or Madison Square Garden.”

kovach@vindycom