Pavlik should know next opponent soon

Leading contenders are Marco Antonio Rubio and Giovanni Lorenzo.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik should learn the name of his next opponent in a few days, and it won’t be John Duddy.

Marco Antonio Rubio and Giovanni Lorenzo are the leading contenders to take on Pavlik in June, promoter Bob Arum told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Arum spent the day in San Francisco with Manny Pacquiao, who promoted his rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez by holding an open workout at a Nob Hill boxing gym crowded with hundreds of clamoring fans.

Duddy, the Irish fighter with an enthusiastic following in New York, was all but set to be Pavlik’s warmup for his quest to unify the middleweight titles. But the unbeaten Duddy took a beating from Walid Smichet last weekend at Madison Square Garden, winning a decision but incurring serious cuts on his face in an alarmingly defenseless performance.

Bruce Trampler, Top Rank’s matchmaker, is close to making a deal with Rubio or Lorenzo to fight Pavlik either in New York or Atlantic City, Arum said. Felix Trinidad also had been mentioned among possible opponents for Pavlik, but those talks have cooled.

“Hopefully we’ll have it done this week,” Arum said. “It may be in Atlantic City, because the magic of New York City was Duddy.”

Pavlik (33-0) seems ready to emerge as one of boxing’s biggest stars after winning a unanimous decision over Jermain Taylor on Feb. 16, beating the former champion for the second straight time. The WBC and WBO middleweight belt-holder hopes to win all four major titles by fighting IBF champ Arthur Abraham and WBA belt-holder Felix Sturm.

But Pavlik first intends to take on a rising contender after four consecutive exhausting fights against Jose Luis Zertuche, hard-punching Edison Miranda and Taylor.

Both Rubio and Lorenzo have the qualifications Arum seeks. Rubio (41-4-1), who knocked out Zertuche on Feb. 9, has won seven straight fights, while Lorenzo (26-0) is a rising Dominican middleweight who fights frequently in Atlantic City.