Pavlik family preps for the fight in its own way

Pavlik Weigh-In

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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Debbie Pavlik gets a little nervous watching her son Kelly in the ring, so much so that she has not watched any of his fights live.

For Debbie, Saturday’s championship bout against Jermain Taylor will be no different. Members of the Pavlik family have their own ways of coping with the pre-fight tension and the stress of the actual bout.

Debbie said she normally does not fly out for her son’s fights. She instead stays home and lights religious candles as a sign of faith that her son will exit the ring unscathed.

For this championship fight Debbie has flown into town, but the day-before-the-fight candles are still being lit.

“I am not home to light the candles, but my mother and mother-in-law will be home to light the candles for us,” she said.

The day before this fight, Debbie elected to go shopping for Kelly Pavlik’s young daughter Sydney and her other two granddaughters. She also spent time making sure Kelly got rest before the weigh-in — and got the steak dinner he craved after the weigh-in.

Debbie said she and her husband Mike Pavlik Sr. planned to retire early the night before the fight for a little quiet time.

“I am just trying to keep my mind off of it,” she said.

For more, see Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com