Pavlik news and notes

Taylor-Pavlik III? Jermain Taylor plans to move up to super middleweight (168 pounds) following Saturday’s bout, so it’s unlikely he’d fight Kelly Pavlik a third time, at least anytime soon. For a third fight to happen, there’d have to be huge public interest — and, consequently, lots of money — involved. Taylor would probably need to beat Pavlik on Saturday to generate that interest. Also, Pavlik has no plans to move up in the immediate future, meaning a third bout would have to take place at 168 pounds. “If the public demands another fight, I’ll fight him,” Taylor said. When Taylor was asked who he’d like to fight next, he said, “I don’t care. Whoever they put in front of me, that’s who I’ll fight.”

No respect? Jermain Taylor’s promoter, Lou DiBella, listened to Kelly Pavlik’s teleconference on Wednesday and felt the Pavlik camp disrespected his fighter. “They were very confident and I understand their confidence,” DiBella said. “But I thought it bordered on cockiness and maybe there was an insulting undertone. They’re entitled to do that, but maybe they should look back at the second round and see how easily the fight might have ended.” The comments were likely not directed at Pavlik, who didn’t say anything out of the ordinary on Wednesday. But Pavlik’s trainer, Jack Loew, said Taylor hasn’t shed the bad habits he picked up as an amateur and said Taylor’s trainer, Ozell Nelson, taught him those bad habits. And Top Rank chairman Bob Arum told reporters he thought Pavlik could develop into the greatest middleweight of all time. “Kelly deserves credit for winning the fight in the seventh round,” DiBella said. “But it could have easily ended in the second. I believed then I had the better fighter in the first contest and I believe now I have the better fighter in the rematch. I believe the last result will be erased and this time will be different.” DiBella comments were no doubt meant to inspire his fighter, but it’s hard to believe he wasn’t also trying to stir up extra interest in the fight. Angering Pavlik’s fan base, and inspiring Taylor’s, won’t do anything to discourage pay-per-view sales.

Nelson’s response: Nelson, who was Taylor’s lead trainer when he was an amateur, has been in Taylor’s corner for his entire pro career. This is his first time as a head pro trainer, however, taking over for Emanuel Steward following the September bout. Nelson shrugged off Loew’s comments, saying, “They are the same bad habits that kept Kelly from making the Olympic team, so that sounds pretty good to me.” Taylor won a decision over Pavlik during the Olympic trials, then later won a bronze medal in the 2000 Games. Taylor, however, had a big edge in age and experience in that amateur bout.

HBO replay: HBO’s 30-minute special “Countdown to Pavlik-Taylor II,” will be replayed tonight at 11:15 as well as several other times during the week on HBO, HBO2 and HBO On Demand. Also, HBO2 will replay the first Pavlik-Taylor fight on Friday at 8 p.m. and midnight, and Saturday at 8:45 a.m.

Joe Scalzo