Pavlik Live | Fight recap

Vindicator sports reporter Joe Scalzo’s observations from ringside:

ROUND TWELVE

This fight is really, really close. I have Pavlik trailing 6-5.

It might come down to whomever wins this round.

The fireworks start early. Both are giving whatever they have left.

Both fighters land good punches, but nobody’s been able to land the big one so far.

This is too close to call.

ROUND ELEVEN

Pavlik lands some decent shots to begin the round, but again Taylor responds. He hasn’t been able to hurt Taylor, which is rare considering Pavlik’s punching power.

Pavlik gets stunned with a left by Taylor.

Taylor’s defense is going to win him this fight. He’s forcing Pavlik to go to the body and staying away from the big rights that hurt him in the first fight.

Pavlik hurts Taylor with about 30 seconds left and Taylor does what Pavlik did in the second round of the first bout. He holds on and survives.

Round to Pavlik.

ROUND TEN

This is officially the longest bout of Pavlik’s career.

Taylor’s defense has been very good this round. And he’s been landing shots more consistently than Pavlik.

At this point, I think Pavlik will need a knockout to win.

Round goes to Taylor.

ROUND NINE

Pavlik’s longest fight of his career was nine rounds. He’s about to be in uncharted territory.

Both fighters jab quite a bit through the first minute.

Taylor gets in some nice shots, then Pavlik responds.It’s a very back-and-forth fight.

Pavlik is really bleeding from his nose.

ROUND EIGHT

Pavlik gets aggressive with two minutes left. Taylor seems to fight best with counters and when he’s in trouble.

Pavlik lands some nice jabs and Taylor looks a little woozy. But he responds with a big right and Pavlik is bleeding a bit.

Taylor lands a nice left with 15 seconds left.

I give that round to Pavlik.

ROUND SEVEN

Another high jabbing round for Taylor, while Pavlik keeps trying to creep in for big rights.

Taylor’s definitely in better shape for this fight.

Pavlik lands some nice shots just before the round ends, but Taylor responds with rapid shots to the body.

Taylor wins the round. I have Taylor winning 4-3 right now.

ROUND SIX

Both fighters look good defensively through the first minute.

Taylor’s best shots have been counters, but he’s starting to drop his left hand.

Taylor looks a little hurt by a right hand with 30 seconds left. But he gets a good shot into Pavlik just before the round ends.

Pavlik wins the round.

ROUND FIVE

Both fighters land good jabs. Taylor gets backed up but avoids getting trapped in the corner with about 2 minutes left in the fifth round.

Pavlik looks stronger in the first half of the round. He’s the aggressor. Taylor’s nose is bloodied — left nostril. Taylor gets in a good shot just before the round, but it’s not enough.

Pavlik wins fifth round.

ROUND FOUR

Pavlik finally lands a few nice punches in the first minute of the fourth round. It’s a much more brutal round.

Both fighters are landing good punches.

ROUND THREE

This fight is a lot more of a boxing match, which favors Taylor. Pavlik usually tries to throw about 100 punches a round, but he’s below that pace so far.

Pavlik has tried to establish his jab, but Taylor has done a good job blocking so far. But Taylor tends to wear down over the course of a fight, so Pavlik needs to survive the first few rounds.

Taylor lands a nice right with about 20 seconds left, then gets in a good body shot.

Taylor wins third round.

ROUND TWO

Lots of jabbing from Taylor while Pavlik looks to land straight rights.

Taylor tries to get aggressive in the middle of the round. He’s done a much better job of defending himself in the first two minutes of this round.

Taylor lands a good right hand with about 45 seconds left.

Taylor wins the round.

ROUND ONE

The fight begins at 11:21.

Both fighters are tryig to establish their jabs early. Kelly lands some nice jabs early, then Taylor responds. Pavlik is a notorious slow starter, but he looks OK so far.

Pavlilk lands a bit right and a big left with a minute left in the round. Taylor was definitely stunned. Pavlik gets stronger as the round goes on.

I’d give the round to Pavlik.

PRE-FIGHT

Kelly Pavlik, a 2-1 favorite entering the bout, enters the ring to cheers of “Kelly, Kelly.” He’s wearing YSU shorts featuring the Penguin mascot on the front.

Jermain Taylor, naturally, enters to boos from the pro-Pavlik crowd.

Commentators for HBO are Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward, who trained Taylor for his bout against Pavlik in September.

The Grand Garden Arena looks to be about 3/4th full. Capacity is 18,000. A little over 10,000

There are numerous celebrities at the fight, including actor Vince Vaughn, Hall of Fame baseball players Eddie Murray and Ozzie Smith and former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis (who got a mixture of cheers and boos when his face appeared on the big screens during the national anthem). Boxers Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr., Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Harry Arroyo and Thomas Hearns are also here.