Pavlik ... on fighting, fame and the future

Kelly Pavlik admits fame brings big changes, both good and bad.

Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik recently took time out from shopping at Sparkle Market in Boardman to do a 30-minute phone interview with Vindicator sports writer Joe Scalzo, covering a wide variety of topics, including fame, fatherhood and his future in the fight game.

Q. Your daughter, Sydney, just turned 2. What has fatherhood taught you?

A. You learn about a lot of aspects of life. You look into things more, making sure she’s healthy, she’s drinking juice and eating fruit. It gives you a better outlook on life. The main thing is it’s not so much about me or my fianc e [Samantha Kocanjer], everything is about the baby first, then her.

Q. It’s been just over a year since your career-changing win over Edison Miranda. Have you been surprised to see your life change so much in 12 months?

A. Yeah, actually I am. You put in so much time and you fight guys like [Jose Luis] Zertuche [in January 2007] and Miranda, then beat [Jermain] Taylor a second time and there’s a lot more respect. After I beat Zertuche and Miranda, those were two tough fights and then upsetting Jermain Taylor, I kind of gave a pat on the back to myself. It’s kind of weird what’s all happened.

Q. What has been the coolest thing about being famous?

A. That’s a hard question. The coolest thing is being able to do things like be a guest of the team at the Ohio State-Michigan game and hang out with the Indians and the Browns and the Cavs and find out they’re big fans of mine. You walk into the locker room before the game and you’re thinking, “These guys don’t give a [darn] about me.” They’re getting ready to play one of their biggest games of the year. Then they jump up and say, “Hey Kelly, what’s going on?” And you’re like, “You know me?” It’s kind of cool. It’s neat.

Q. The worst thing about fame?

A. When you go out to eat with your family or you take your daughter to Chuck E. Cheese’s and you can’t hang out with them. It takes a toll. People always want you to sign an autograph or you have to take the time to meet people. You want people to respect the time with your daughter and your family. It’s just the time demands. Everybody wants a little of your time.

Q. One thing you loved to do before you were famous that you can no longer do?

A. Go shopping. Go eat. Those are the main things. I can still play golf and play darts and nobody bothers me. But the regular things, like trying to get your shopping done, those are hard.

Q. Have you tried going incognito, like wearing sunglasses and a hat?

A. (Laughs.) That don’t work around here. I’ve tried everything, hats, sunglasses. There’s no hiding. [As if on cue, a fan comes up to Pavlik and says, “Hey, good luck, Kelly.”] See what I mean? You’ll see them looking over at you and eventually they find out who you are.

Q. A lot of athletes, particularly boxers, say they’re only going to fight a few more years, then end up staying around into their late 30s and early 40s. You’ve repeatedly said you want to be done by 30, but considering how much money you stand to make, is there a chance you’ll think differently in a few years?

A. Oh no, I’ll be done. My body has taken a toll. I’ve been doing this since I was 13-14 years old. My body is about done. I’ve got a couple more years in me, then I’m done. It’s not worth it. You make your money, you invest it and get out. A lot of fighters don’t do that. Me, I love boxing and I’ll be involved with it the rest of my life. But I’m not going to risk my health. I’ve got a kid to take care of and I want to enjoy my life.

Q. A lot of times when athletes make some money, they find out they have a lot more relatives and friends than they realized — and they all want something. Has this happened to you?

A. No, I haven’t had that but there are certain people who want money. I get asked all kinds of weird requests. One person asked me for $180,000 to put a roof on their church. And there were some people in Canfield who wanted me to give them money so they could fix their house. I make money but I don’t make that much money. I don’t live in Canfield. I live across the border of Youngstown in Boardman. Everyone feels like I owe them. That’s what’s hard and that’s what hurts my feelings.

You know, a guy who works at BW-3s, his main goal is to be a manager. If you work at GM, your goal is become a foreman and make more money. If you work construction, you want to one day run your business. I’m no different.

My goal was to become world champion. It’s the same situation. Then people look at me and act like I owe them. I do as much as I can, but if I don’t, I’m a bad guy. I hate being that person. But that’s the way it is.

I like being a nice guy. I like joking around and having fun. I’ll do whatever I can to help, but what people don’t understand is that I have a family. I train my [butt] off. I do things with charities. But I can’t sit there and say, “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am.” People don’t understand things like taxes and payouts. They think I’m filthy rich. But it took me all those years to make some money. I don’t have $180,000 to donate to a church or a new house. I wouldn’t have the ..... to ask anybody for that. I don’t have the guts to ask for $20. You think five years ago I would have walked up to Donald Trump and said, “Hey, can you give me $500,000, I’m trying to get my boxing career going?”

I don’t owe anybody anything. But I do as much as I can and I’ll never turn a charity down. If I can’t make it, I’ll still sign a shirt or a glove.

Q. Have you ever thought about moving elsewhere so you can live a little more anonymously?

A. No. When you move, nothing changes. A lot of people get famous and move away. Then people put you down because you move. If I move to California, people will say, “Oh, he thinks he’s too good for us.” Besides, I have friends and family here.

Q. Your greatest weakness and strength?

A. My biggest weakness is I put too much time into everything else. At the same time, that’s not a bad thing. I don’t mind helping as much as I can. I love it. It’s a Catch-22. You do everything for everybody, but at the same time I feel good about myself. It goes both ways. My biggest downfall is I give too much, but at the same time I love doing it.

Q. Number of autographs you sign in an average week?

A. Probably at least 200.

Q.The last time it was fun to sign an autograph?

A. Probably before the Zertuche fight.

Q. Funniest autograph story?

A. I’ve had a lot of weird ones. I have to say, when they want me to sign their chest. Like with girls. I can’t do that. It’s too dangerous.

Q. Favorite current fighter?

A. [Miguel Angel] Cotto. Alfonso Gomez, he’s a cool kid. Paul Malignaggi. My sparring partner, James Countryman. He’s 10-1 and he’s got a real good future. I like guys who have a good personality and a lot of charisma.

Q. Favorite all-time fighter?

A. Sugar Ray Leonard or Rocky Marciano. Sugar Ray fought in three different weight classes and he didn’t take no tune-up fights. And Marciano was only about 180 pounds and he was fighting guys who weighed 200 or 215 and just destroying them. That guy’s a monster.

Q. Favorite place to fight?

A. Youngstown. The Chevy Centre is probably the top one. After that, Struthers Fieldhouse, then Cafaro Field. Outside Youngstown, Atlantic City. That’s where all the magic happened.

Q. Your house is on fire. Your family is safe. Three items you go back and get?

A. I don’t have no memorabilia in my house. All the belts and things are at my parent’s house. So probably my four-wheeler and my two cars.

Q. First song you’re singing on karaoke night?

A. None. You’ll never hear me sing, ever. You won’t see me dance either. I’ll never be on “Dancing with the Stars” or “American Idol.”

Q. Let’s say, hypothetically, Barry Manilow called up and said, “I’m a huge fan of yours and I’d love for you to come to my next concert.” Do you go?

A. Probably. Yeah, out of respect because the guy asked you. I have a lot of guys in bands who are fans, like the Foo Fighters. I’m going to go to one of their concerts when I come back from Atlantic City.

Q. What do you consider the height of boredom?

A. Sitting around the house when nobody’s there, when I’m not able to see my daughter or my fianc e. Training in Las Vegas bored me a lot.

Q. Something you do that annoys the people who love you?

A. (Laughs.) There’s a lot of things. Oh, I know. When I’m talking to my mom and I say, “Yeah, I sat there and threw the ball to the kids.” I always say “sit there or sat there.” I don’t think I do anything that annoys my friends. When I’m with my buddies, they don’t kiss my butt. We’re just always laughing. Nobody sits there and talks about boxing or business. We just hang out.

Q. Do you keep track of what some of your previous opponents have done since you beat them?

A. Yeah, I do. With Zertuche, that was a brutal knockout and I think he’s kind of shot. He doesn’t have anything left. [Fulgencio] Zuniga is still making waves. He’s beaten everybody since we fought. Miranda is on the top of his game. Jermain Taylor is planning a lot of big fights. Sometimes I go on Boxrec [a Web site that shows fighter’s past bouts] and look at guys I fought in the past and a lot of them don’t fight no more.

Q. Funniest thing an opponent has said about you leading up to a fight?

A. It’s probably between Gary Lockett or Edison Miranda. Miranda saying he wanted to barbecue me when we were in Memphis. He was gonna put me on a spit. Or Gary Lockett sitting there and talking about how he’s seen me tagged before and he’s gonna tag me even harder and knock me out. I’m like, I’ve fought Edison Miranda, who hits a lot harder than Gary Lockett, and I’ve fought guys like Zertuche and Jermain Taylor. He’s hyping himself up to be this great power puncher.

Q. Which team would you most like to see win a title first, the Cavs, Browns or Indians?

A. Wow. That’s a hard question. When you quote this in The Vindicator, make sure you quote me saying I’d love to see all three. I’m huge fans of all them. It’s a tie between the Browns and Indians. The Indians have gotten so close the last couple years, from 1994 to now. And the Browns have so much talent, I’d love to see them win a title.

Q. Last meal?

A. A six-inch pizza and chicken wings from Belleria, mussels from Nicolinnis, prime rib with crab legs from the Bistro GQ and a New York strip from the Youngstown Crab Company. I couldn’t eat it all. I’d just pick at everything.

Q. Favorite TV show?

A. This might sound stupid, but “Family Guy.” That cracks me up big time. I still watch the History Channel and A&E, but I love “Family Guy.” I think I’ve seen every episode. I have them all on DVD. I have to hide them from my daughter, though. She finds them and now they’re all scratched.

Q. You do a lot of charity work. What was your best experience?

A. A lot of things I do for the Cancer Society. I can’t pick one out. I did shave my head for charity. I was the 300th person to get my head shaved. That was probably the best one. It was perfect timing.