NOTEBOOK Kelly Pavlik
Toughest fight? Although his knockout win over Edison Miranda in May got more publicity, Youngstown middleweight Kelly Pavlik said his toughest fight came against Jose Luis Zertuche in January. “Miranda was tough, don’t get me wrong,” said Pavlik. “But Zertuche was a rugged fighter and he’d fought a lot of top 10 fighters. He was dangerous. He’d made the 2000 Mexican Olympic team and you’ve got to be pretty good to get on that team.” Pavlik said Zertuche had good hand speed, power with both hands and was able to take a punch. “He was in great condition, but I just wore him down,” he said. “He’s the type of guy you have to wear down because you can’t take chances. Same with Miranda. You don’t want to get caught with something looping or wild.” Pavlik knocked out Zertuche in the eighth round in Anaheim, Calif.
Not my baby: Pavlik’s mother, Debbie, can’t watch Pavlik’s fights live for fear that he’ll get hurt. (She watches them on tape afterward.) Thing is, Pavlik is usually on the giving end of the punishment, not the receiving end. When asked if it bothers her that her son is hurting other people, Debbie said “Well, you know, I feel bad about it. But it’s not my baby. I’m sure they’re [the opponent’s parents] are the same way. Nobody wants to see their kid get hurt.”
Mooney connection: Pavlik’s trainer, Jack Loew, played on the same Cardinal Mooney team as Bob Stoops, who is now the football coach at Oklahoma. He also played with then-coach Don Bucci’s son, David, in the class of 1978. “I got to know Jackie pretty well because of that,” said Bucci. “He played with a lot of outstanding players that year and he was a leader among them. He was a tough kid. Nobody fooled with him, I’ll tell you that. It doesn’t surprise me he became a trainer.” Loew’s son John played running back and quarterback for Mooney a few years ago and Loew still attends many of the games. Loew was also briefly an assistant coach for Mooney’s freshman team.
Finally: Long-time Vindicator boxing correspondent Bob Roth covered much of Pavlik’s career before dying of cancer in March 2006. Pavlik’s father, Michael, said he was sad Roth wasn’t able to see Pavlik break through. “It’s too bad he’s not here for this,” he said. “He really loved Kelly.”
Joe Scalzo